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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



JACOB LEISLER 




STATUE OF JACOB LEISLER BY SOLON H. BORGLUM, PLACED IN THE 
GROUNDS OF THE HUGUENOT ASSOCIATION AT NEW ROCHELLE 
TO COMMEMORATE LEISLER' S GIFT OF LANDS TO THE FIRST 
SETTLERS OF THAT PLACE. 



JACOB LEISLER 



A PLAY OF OLD NEW YORK 



BY .J 

WILLIAM Oc BATES 



fFi'fA an Introductory Note by 
Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer 



NEW YORK 

MITCHELL KENNERLEY 

MCMXIII 






^^"U^^ 

.^t,^ 



COPYRIGHT, 1 9 13, 

BY 

MITCHELL KENNERLEY 

The Right of Stage Representation Is Reserved by the 
Author 



•©CI.A351312 



To 

THE SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS 

FOUNDED TO PERPETUATE 
THE MEMORY OF 

THE FORBEARS OF AMERICAN FREEDOM AND UNITY 

IS DEDICATED THIS TRIBUTE 

TO THE MOST PICTURESQUE AND TRAGIC FIGURE 
IN ALL ITS LIST OF ANCESTORS 



INTRODUCTION 

By Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer 

WHEN the story upon which an historical 
drama has been based is not familiar, the 
reader or hearer must wish to learn in 
how far it has been truthfully presented, in how far 
it has been altered by the dramatist. Of course, the 
interest and the value of the play depend, primarily, 
iiot upon its historical but upon its dramatic quali- 
ties; and as it is impossible, if only by reason of the 
immense complexity of real life, that any past hap- 
penings should without alteration fit perfectly into 
any dramatic scheme, the dramatist may omit much 
that history records and may also change incidents 
and modify characters. But changes too numerous 
or too radical outrage that respect for facts, that 
reverence for historical verity, which persists no mat- 
ter how willing we are to judge a play as a play. 
The true story, we feel, should not be contradicted 
in essentials; its spirit should not be travestied; its 
characters may be modified, but should not be meta- 
morphosed. 



vi Introduction 



The story of Jacob Leisler is not well known even 
in the city where it unrolled itself more than two 
hundred years ago. For long it was almost forgotten 
except by a few historians and antiquaries. Only in 
recent years has it been told in detail in print. 
Now it is being gradually recalled to mind, largely 
through the efforts of the City History Club of New 
York to spread, especially among our school children, 
a knowledge of our local history in all its phases. 
Yet to most of Mr. Bates's readers, I fear, his sub- 
ject-matter will be entirely new. They will be quite 
unable to compare his drama with the facts upon 
which he based it. 

Therefore he has asked me to aid them in doing 
so. But I need not write at much length or refer 
to many details, for the agreement between his facts 
and his drama is remarkably close. The records of 
the period which have been preserved are brief and 
in some parts fragmentary. This means that the 
need for selection, for omission, was less than is often 
the case with historical material. On the other hand, 
the tale as history tells it is so dramatic, and most 
of those who figure in it, even when we know little 
about them, are so sharply characterized and con- 
trasted, that the need for invention or for conspicuous 
modification was also small. 

No character in the drama has been invented ex- 



Introduction vil 

cepting Miss Livingston, who plays a prominent 
yet a secondary part — who adorns the scene, so to 
say, and agreeably brightens its atmosphere, without 
affecting the main trend of the action. In fitting 
this action for the stage Mr. Bates has necessarily 
brought certain incidents a little closer together in 
time. For the sake of dramatic emphasis he has given 
Leisler a more prominent part in the capture of the 
Fort and, later on, has given Governor Sloughter a 
more prominent part in its surrender by Leisler, than 
the one or the other really played. And, properly 
to develop the "love affair" which we expect to find 
important even when it is not the main theme of a 
■play, he has assumed that Mary Leisler and Abraham 
Gouverneur were lovers in their youth and that Mary 
married her father's friend and contemporary, Jacob 
Milborne, against her will. History does not speak 
upon these points. It merely records Mary's mar- 
riage with Milborne and, years afterward, her mar- 
riage with Gouverneur. But. when we study all the 
records that bear upon their lives — when we see that 
the two young people must have been intimately asso- 
ciated before and at the time of the first marriage, 
when we read of Gouverneur's faithful friendship for 
Leisler's son and of his active devotion to Leisler's 
memory and to the interests of his family, and then 
read of the second marriage — it is difficult not to 



Vlll 



Introduction 



believe that the facts were as Mr. Bates has assumed 
them to be. They are so probable that we may well 
feel that he has divined rather than invented 
them. 

Inventions, however, are certain incidents which 
Mr. Bates thought essential for dramatic effect 
toward the end of his play. Nicholas Bayard did 
not suppress a reprieve for Leisler sent out by 
King William; and he could not have done so, 
for King William sent no reprieve. Nor did Bayard 
assume the sheriff's duty in taking charge of the 
execution. Moreover, history says nothing of fare- 
well scenes between Leisler and his family, though 
probably such scenes took place, and nothing of Leis- 
ler's peculiar affection for his little daughter, which 
adds to the grim tragedy a touch of poetic pa- 
thos. 

These, then, are the main alterations that the 
dramatist has worked in the theme with which his- 
tory supplied him. They do not in any way alter the 
general verity of his version. Judged as a whole, 
the play is, I think, a true picture of the place and 
the time, and also a collection of individual portraits 
as veracious as our scanty information permitted him 
to draw. There is due warrant for the portrait of 
Jacob Milborne, excepting, of course, as Mary Leis- 
ler's suitor. There is ample warrant for the portrait 



Introduction ix 

of Nicholas Bayard as the "villain" of the play, as 
the main agent, or, at least, as a main agent, in 
bringing about the death of Leisler and Milborne. 
And his character is but little darkened by the inci- 
dents that Mr. Bates has imagined. We can hardly 
doubt that, if the king had sent a reprieve, Bayard 
would, if possible, have suppressed it; or that he 
would gladly have put the rope himself about Leis- 
ler's neck. 

Leisler is a more complicated character. By dif- 
ferent hands he has been very variously portrayed. 
But after a long and thorough study of all the avail- 
able material relating to him and his actions, his 
friends and his enemies, I had framed in my own 
mind a figure very like the one that Mr. Bates 
shows us. 

I may add that Mr. Bates has done wisely in ignor- 
ing certain vague claims to honor that have been put 
forth for Leisler and Milborne by enthusiastic but 
uncritical hero-worshippers. A patriot, I believe with 
Mr. Bates, Jacob Leisler was, but certainly not in 
the sense acquired by the term after the middle of 
the eighteenth century. To call him, as he has been 
called, a "proto-martyr of the Revolution" is absurd. 
In the New York of the end of the seventeenth cen- 
tury there was no thought, there could be no thought, 
of achieving independence, of shaking off the control 



Introduction 



of the crown of England, The only question in dis- 
pute was, Who has the right to wear the crown and, 
therefore, the right to the loyalty of New York? 
Leisler and his friends made no stand, and wished 
to make no stand, against the government which had 
just acquired power in England; they merely labored 
to resist, in support of this government, the actual 
and possible claims to authority of the king it had 
dethroned. "Liberty" meant to them freedom from 
the yoke of the Stuarts. Moreover, a conscious risk- 
ing of life for conscience sake is needed to make 
a martyr, and nothing was farther from Leisler's 
mind than a thought that, by holding New York for 
William and Mary, he risked a condemnation for 
treason. 

Mr. Bates adheres closely to the truth in making 
devotion to William and Mary the main fact of 
Leisler's career, the leading motive in his policy, the 
guiding star of his conduct at every step. Whatever 
one may think of the wisdom of his course, no fair- 
minded student of the records can deny his unwaver- 
ing, passionate loyalty to the sovereigns who had over- 
thrown the despotic and "papistical" James. There- 
fore we may think him a most unfortunate patriot, 
a hapless victim, although not a martyr or, still less, 
a "proto-martyr of the Revolution." 

I hope, indeed, that Mr. Bates's drama may make 



Introduction xi 

the story of this remarkable American more familiar 
to the Americans of to-day and, by awakening their 
interest in one of the picturesque episodes in the colo- 
nial history of New York, may develop a more gen- 
eral and genuine interest in that history as a whole. 

M. G. Van Rensselaer. 



JACOB LEISLER 

Act I. The Bowling Green, late afternoon, May 

31, 1689. 
Act XL The same scene, an autumn morning, 1689. 
Act hi. a Room in the Fort, the night of March 

19, 1691. 
Act IV. (i) A Room in Colonel Bayard's house, 
the evening of May 14, 1691. 

(2) A Room in Leisler's farmhouse, early 

dawn. May 16, 1691. 

(3) Tableau: Beginning of a new day. 
Epilogue — Dutch garden of Van Cortlandt mansion, 

an autumn afternoon, 1695. 



CHARACTERS 

Jacob Leisler: First American Governor elected by 
the people. 

Jacob Leisler^ Jr. ['Cobus'] : His Son. 

Abraham Go.uverneur: Clerk of Leisler's Com- 
mittee of Safety. 

Jacob Milborne: Secretary of the Province under 
Leisler. 

JoosT Stoll: Ensign in Leisler's Train Band. 

Stephanus Van Cortlandt: Mayor and Member 
of the Andros Council. 

Sir Francis Nicholson : Lef tenant-Governor under 
Andros. 

Robert Livingston: Secretary for Indian Affairs 
under Andros. 

Col. Nicholas Bayard : Commander of the Militia 
and Member of the Andros Council. 

Frederick Philipse : Member of the Andros Coun- 
cil. 

William Nicolls : Attorney-General under Andros. 

Col. Henry Sloughter: Appointed Governor by 
William HL 

3 



4 Jacob Leisler 

Major Richard Ingoldsby : Captain of a Company 
of English Grenadiers sent with Sloughter. 

John Perry: Post-rider between New York and 
Boston. 

John Riggs: King William's Messenger. 

Pere Millet: A French Priest captured by Leisler. 

Peter: Col. Bayard's servant. 

Joanna Livingston: Sister of Robert Livingston. 

Alice Leisler: Wife of Jacob Leisler. 

Mary Leisler: His daughter. 

Francina: His 'baby.' 

Frau Stoll: Wife of Joost Stoll. 

Burghers, Artisans, Members of the Train Bands, 

English Soldiers, Sailors, Indians, an Old 

Lamplighter, Women and Children. 



JACOB LEISLER 



ACT I 

The Bowling Green and Fort, New York, late after- 
noon. May 31, i68g. Extending across the scene at 
the rear is the high earthwork wall of the Fort, in its 
centre the wide sallyport with heavy double gates 
swinging outward and held together within by a bar 
sliding in staples. Over the gates is a light arch bear- 
ing the insignia of James II, the letters 'J R' sur- 
mounted by a crown. There are small cannon on the 
wall, the muzzles turned toward you. In front on 
your left is Leislers house, its gable of checkered bricks 
fronting the street, its high stoop protected by a rail- 
ing in front and reached by several steps on each side, 
its ancient date indicated by sprawling wrought-iron 
figures under the stepped gable. At the right front 
is another quaint old house with dormer windows. 
Over the wall of the Fort may be seen the tops of the 
Governor s house, and of the church, with a glimpse 
of the bay and Narrows beyond. On the house cor- 
ners and suspended from the arch there are lanterns. 

First is heard the air of 'Lilliburlero,' then confused 

15. 



6 Jacob Leisler 

shouting, merging into the singing of this fateful his- 
toric song (see notes), during which Joost Stoll, a 
burly Dutch innkeeper, is seen coming from the right, 
while a red-coated sentinel paces back and forth in 
front of the sallyport. 

STOLL 

[^Pompously to a burgher who runs in from the 
left. 
Is not yon horseman beset by the mob John Perry, 
post-rider from Boston? 

BURGHER 

Aye, Ensign Stoll, and he brings great news — they of 
Boston have clapped Governor Andros in gaol. 

STOLL 

Bid him dismount and come hither to me! 

\The burgher obeys, the turmoil recommences, 
and Stoll preens himself until Perry appears, 
carrying his post-bag and surrounded by peo- 
ple who importune him — artisans bearing 
the implements of their trades, bare-headed 
shopkeepers, sailors, women, children, and an 
Indian or two. The crowd increases momen- 
tarily. Several wear bows of orange ribbon. 



Jacob Leisier 7 

STOLL 

Stand fast, John Perry, and deliver me your news! 
I am Joost Stoll, Ensign of Captain Leisler's train 
band — Peace, fellows, while the post-rider purports 
me his message ! — Thou say est they of Boston have im- 
prisoned Sir Edmund Andros? 

PERRY 

Aye, just that. And Edward Randolph and others, 
his Councillors, with him. 
[The crowd cheers. 

STOLL 

Peace, peace, I tell ye! The Governor is certainly in 
gaol ? 

PERRY 

With my own eyes 1 saw him placed there. 

STOLL 

Then / say he is a rogue and a tyrant. 

CROWD 

Aye, aye, that he is. 



8 Jacob Leisler 

STOLL 

And is it confirmed that the Prince of Orange hath 
surely come to England with his army? 

PERRY 

Aye, and King James fled away to France without 

striking a blow. 

CROWD 

Hip, hip, huzzay for the Prince of Orange! Huzzay 

for King William and Queen Mary! 

[There is a sudden hush as Van Cortlandt and 
Bayard appear from the right. Mayor Van 
Cortlandt is a middle-aged man, of elegant 
and courtly bearing and attire, suave and 
diplomatic, accustomed to command, an aristo- 
crat of aristocrats. He wears a periwig with 
flowing ringlets. Col. Bayard is a younger 
man, vivacious, imperious, and quick-tem- 
pered, fond of display, deferential to superiors, 
but haughty to inferiors. He wears the uni- 
form of a colonel of militia. 

VOICES 

Sh-h-h-h! Here comes Col. Bayard! Col. Bayard 
and Mayor Van Cortlandt! 
[The crowd falls back. 



Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 



Now, now, fellows, who set on this disturbance — and 
wherefore ? 



STOLL 



Here is come John Perry, post-rider from Boston, 
Colonel, to say the inhabitants of those parts have put 
his Excellency in gaol. 

BAYARD 

You may speak, sirrah. 

PERRY 

It is even so, Col. Bayard. 

BAYARD 

Mayor Van Cortlandt, this seems serious. Stay you 
here and disperse the rabble, and I will bring Leften- 
ant-Governor Nicholson and our friends Philipse and 
Nicolls to confer with us. 

[He hurries away, right. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Now, good friends, back to your workshops, your 
stores, and your ships! His Honor, the Lef tenant- 



10 Jacob Leisler 

Governor, is coming to sift this extraordinary surprisal, 
and we must not anger him with any confusion. 

VOICES FROM THE CROWD 

Out upon Andros and King James, too ! Huzzay for 
the Prince of Orange! We are betrayed to the 
French ! 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Busily but gently urging them away, right and 
left. 
Sh-h-h-h! Sh-h-h-h! Peace, peace, good fellows! No 
insolences ! No disorders ! We must not lend our ears 
to wild rumors. His Honor is coming — nothing scur- 
rilous! Ensign Stoll, your good frau is seeking you. 
Peter King, you have not finished my garden wall. 
Jacob Teller, is not your ship off for the Barbadoes 
to-day ? 

[To Ferry, who starts to go. 
Stay you here, Perry; his Honor would question you. 

\The crowd slowly disperses, grumbling and 
sullen. 
Bring you letters for Lef tenant-Governor Nicholson? 

PERRY 

[Offering letters. 
From Sir Edmund Andros himself. 



Jacob Leisler ii 

[Bayard returns with Nicholson, Philipse and 
Nicolls. Nicholson is a young man of parts, 
overburdened with a position beyond his ex- 
perience, vain and prone to rash decisions. He 
wears the uniform of a British colonel. Phil- 
ipse is aged, dignified, conservative, crafty. 
Nicolls is a spirited youth, proud of his legal 
lore, scholarship, and gallantry, and foppish in 
dress and demeanor. All wear wigs. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Handing letter to Nicholson. 
Sir Francis, here is matter for concern. 

NICHOLSON 

[To Perry, after a hasty glance over the letter. 
You had this from the hand of Sir Edmund Andros? 

PERRY 

No, your Honor; it comes by sufferance of Captain 
Winthrop. His Excellency hath not liberty of speech 
with any one. 

NICHOLSON 

Wherefore ? 

PERRY 

Because he is held an enemy to the Prince of Orange. 



12 Jacob Leisler 

NICHOLSON 

You have declared such ill reports hereabouts? 

BAYARD 

Aye, that he hath, to the disordering of the rabble, 
which I have just dispersed. 

NICHOLSON 

[His sword point at Perry's breast. 
Hark ye, sirrah! His Majesty, King James, yet rules 
in this his Province of New York, and one word 
more of this Boston treason shall be your last. Now 
go, and await our packet to his Excellency! 

[Perry bows humblyj and disappears. 
Gentlemen, these rumors from England are bearing 
fruit. His Excellency writes that the malcontents of 
Boston have indeed shut him up in the Fort, and set 
up a government of their own. 

BAYARD 

Does he credit the report that the Prince of Orange 
hath invaded England? 



Jacob Leisler 13 



NICHOLSON 



He fears it may be true — but not I. Why, the very 
'prentice boys of London would drive him out should 
he land! 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Our burghers here in New York are less loyal — your 
Honor must have heard them but now cheering for 
the Prince of Orange. 

NICHOLSON 

That must be looked to. I shall rely upon you, Mayor 
Van Cortlandt, to keep the rabble quiet, and upon 
you. Col. Bayard, to have the train bands ready to put 
down open outbreak. 

PHILIPSE 

If your Honor will permit me, I think we should 
move with caution in this matter. If it should prove 
true that his Majesty hath fled to France, and that 
the French King doth intend war against England in 
his behalf, our burgher soldiery will prove but ill re- 
liance in King James's cause. 

NICHOLSON 

What say you to that, Col. Bayard? 



14 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 

They are insubordinate of my authority, with many 
jealousies respecting the French and Indians. 

[^Robert Livingston and Miss Livingston ap- 
pear from the right. He is middle-aged, tall, 
arrogant, self-willed, and icily impertinent, a 
man of so much force he seldom condescends 
to be affable. His sister is a post-Elizabethan 
or, if you prefer, a proto-suffragette. 

NICHOLSON 

Nicolls, you are lately from Albany — ^what say they 
of the Indians? 

NICOLLS 

There are wild rumors afloat. Our Indians have been 
told Governor Andros hath plotted to betray them to 
the French. But Mr. Livingston, here, is but just 
come from the north with his sister. As Secretary of 
Indian Affairs, he can speak by the book. 



NICHOLSON 



Mr. Livingston, you visit New York in good season. 
Miss Livingston, I salute you. Have you heard the 
news? 



Jacob Leisler 15 

[Livinffston bows formally to those present, 
while Nicolls goes to Miss Livinffston and ac- 
costs her gallantly. 



LIVINGSTON 

One must needs hear what Boston hath done when 
New York is buzzing it. But if the Prince of Orange 
hath gone into England with his parcel of rebels, let 
him see how he gets out again! He will come to the 
same end Monmouth did. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

He will find there as good soldiers as he takes. 

NICHOLSON 

Bravely spoken, Miss Livington! 

\T^ Livingston. 
But where will our Indians stand in case of war with 
the French? 

LIVINGSTON 

Leave them to me, but look to your own rebellious 
burghers here! Every street-corner is a hustings for 
proclaiming treason to his Majesty. 



1 6 Jacob Leisler 



NICHOLSON 

With his Excellency in gaol and but a handful of sol- 
diers to depend upon, I am sore perplexed. 

LIVINGSTON 

There are your train bands? 

NICHOLSON 

Made up of the rabble and insubordinate to Col. 
Bayard. 

LIVINGSTON 

But they follow their captains, do they not? Is there 
not some one of authority and influence with them ? 

NICHOLSON 

I know not. Col. Bayard, who among the officers of 
the train bands hath most their confidence? 

BAYARD 

Jacob Leisler, your Honor, their senior captain. 

NICHOLSON 

Oh, that Dutch boor, who refused to pay duty on his 
cargo of wines because Collector Plowman is a Cath- 
olic? 



Jacob Leisler 17 



VAN CORTLANDT 

{Warmly. 
No Dutchman, Sir Francis, only a German, who came 
here from Frankfort as a soldier of the West India 
Company, so poor that he owed for his musket. But 
he married a rich widow, and now he hath houses and 
ships at command. 

NICHOLSON 

But will he help us uphold Governor Andros? 

BAYARD 

He may remember that his Excellency shut him up in 
gaol some years ago, when he and one Jacob Milborne 
had the Duke of York's priest. Dominie Van Rens- 
selaer, tried for heresy because they thought the Duke 
was trying to curtail 'the rights of the people.' 

LIVINGSTON 

Scant reason that. Col. Bayard! You were in gaol, 
too, for a similar reason, about that time. 

BAYARD 

I spoke for my class, Mr. Livingston, but not for the 
rabble, as this Leisler did. He is a dangerous fellow — 
I have myself heard him declare that the day will 



1 8 Jacob Leisler 

come when the people — the common people — ^will rule 
themselves ! 

VAN CORTLANPT 

What say you, Sister Joanna? You are partial to 
these Leislers. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Perhaps if Col. Bayard's family had been driven from 
home, as was Captain Leisler's, he might have more 
toleration for Captain Leisler's Utopian dreams. Be- 
sides, if you wish to control the people, can you do 
better than choose a messenger they confide in? 



VAN CORTLANDT 

[Shakinff his finger gayly at her. 
Chop-logic, Joanna, and yet, for once, a woman speaks 
wisely. 

\To Nicholson. 
I have personal reasons for disliking the fellow — wt 
are distantly related, and he hath advantaged of me 
in business matters. Moreover, he is of rude speech 
and swears like a pirate, in spite of his piety; but if 
he may be won over, it will go far towards keeping 
the people in order. 



Jacob Leisler 19 



PHILIPSE 



I have had dealings with this man, your Honor. He 
is of good repute as a merchant, and hath especial in- 
fluence with the Huguenots, whom he hath befriended 
and whose language he speaks. 

BAYARD 

Aye, truly, and cunning of hand in graving upon gold 
and silver — a j ack-of- all-trades — except gentility ! 

NICHOLSON 

Where can he be come at? 

VAN CORTLANDT 

\Indicating Leisler s house. 
He should be at home at this hour. 

NICHOLSON. 

Col. Bayard, will you ask his attendance upon us? 

BAYARD 

I beg your Honor's indulgence, but Capt. Leisler hath 
shown me such disrespect that I fear I should be but 
an ill messenger. 



20 Jacob Leisler 



NICHOLSON 

Mr. NicoUs, if Miss Livingston can spare you for his 
Majesty's service a moment, I pray you summon Capt. 
Leisler hither. 

NICOLLS 

[Bowing low to Miss Livingston. 
I trust his Majesty will appreciate my sacrifice. 

\He goes to Leisler s house, and knocks upon 
the door. Frau Leisler opens its upper half. 
Nicolls makes her an over-elaborate how, and 
asks, with exaggerated courtesy: 
Do I address Frau Leisler? 

■I 

FRAU LEISLER 

{Emerging upon the stoop, with repeated curt- 
seys, troubled and confused. 
Oh, yes, your vi^orship, I am Frau Leisler. 

NICOLLS 

Then, may I make so bold as to inquire if Captain 
Leisler is within? 

FRAU LEISLER 

Yes, yes, he is at home. 



Jacob Leisler 21 

NICOLLS 

[With more bows. 
I am profoundly sorry to trouble you, Frau Leisler, 
but you will place me under eternal obligation, Frau 
Leisler, if you will inform Capt. Leisler that his 
Honor, Lef tenant-Governor Nicholson, craves the 
boon of present speech with him, Frau Leisler. 

FRAU LEISLER 

[Bewildered and apprehensive. 
Is there some troubles? He will pay the duty on his 
wines, yes — he has the money, yes — but when another 
Collector is appointed, yes. 

NICOLLS 

I do humbly beg leave to assure you, Frau Leisler, in 
foro conscientice, that his Honor merely wishes to avail 
himself of the inestimable advantage of the counsel and 
assistance of your worthy husband on a matter of State. 
Believe me, Frau Leisler, non latet anguis in herba, 
Frau Leisler. 

[Jacob Leisler suddenly steps from the door. 
He is of robust figure, formidable and austere 
visage, carelessly dressed, a forceful and iras- 
cible personage, but with an underlying sug- 



22 Jacob Leisler 

gestion of ffrim humor and deep feeling. He 
speaks explosively, with a pronounced German 
accent. 

LEISLER 

You want tne ? 

NICOLLS 

[His manner changing to real deference. 
Yes, Captain Leisler, his Honor wishes to see you. 
\^He returns to Miss Livingston. 

LEISLER 

[To Frau Leisler, pointing over his shoulder 
with his thumb. 
Herein ! 

[She goes quickly into the house, and Leisler 
descends to Nicholson. 
Well Sir? 

NICHOLSON 

[ Conciliatingly. 
Capt. Leisler, ill news hath just reached me from Gov- 
ernor Andros ; they of Boston have shut him up in the 
fort, and we of his Council here wish your advice as 
to how our own people may best be kept in peace and 
quietness. 

LEISLER 

Ygu wish my advice? 



Jacob Leisler 23 



NICHOLSON 

Yes. 

LEISLER 

How to make peace and quietness for these people? 



NICHOLSON 
[Eagerly. 
Yes, Captain Leisler. 

\All turn towards Leisler in expectation. 

LEISLER 

Then my advice is that you go to Boston, too — all of 
you. 

{They recoil in anger. 

BAYARD 

Captain Leisler, this insufferable insolence to his 
Honor 

PHILIPSE 

Softly, softly, Col. Bayard! Capt. Leisler, you are a 
merchant of large holdings, a deacon in the church, 
and a man to whom your fellow burghers look for 
wise and calm counsel in these troublous times. Surely 
you can suggest some prudent way for allaying the 
disorders of the town? 



24 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

[Quietly. 
Yes, there is another way — a better way. 



NICHOLSON 
[Anxiously. 
And that is? 

LEISLER 

That you proclaim William and Mary King and 
Queen here, as they have been proclaimed in Eng- 
land, and [pointing to insignia over the gates'\ tear 
down that Jacobite sign over the sallyport. 



NICHOLSON 

[Losing control of himself. 
Never, Sir, never ! 

[He takes a document from his pocket and 

shakes it at Leisler. 
There is my commission, signed by his sacred Majesty, 
King James — I will stand or fall by that. 



LEISLER 

Is it countersigned by Louis XIV? 



Jacob Leisler 25 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Mildly. 
We are all loyal Englishmen here, Capt. Leisler. 

LEISLER 

Ach, so! But 'we all' uphold Louis's Jacobite King, 
and [indicating Nicholson] his Honor did command 
a regiment of Irish Papists, and keeps in office the 
Papist Collector Plowman, and [indicating Van Cort- 
landt] our two-faced Mayor [illustrating] throws his 
periwig into the air when the Catholic Prince of Wales 
is born. 

NICHOLSON 

[Passionately. 
Whomever I did command, I will sooner set the town 
on fire than be commanded by such as you. Gentle- 
men, return you to the council chamber to con- 
sider this matter ! Mayor Van Cortlandt, do you sum- 
mon the aldermen, members of the common council, 
and military officers to meet us there! Col. Bayard, 
you will come with me to the Fort to make that se- 
cure, Mr. Livingston, we shall expect you. 

[Leisler whirls upon his heel and goes to his 
doorway. 
You see. Captain Leisler, we are not going to Boston^- 
n 1 — j ust — y et! 



26 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

Well, don't go to Boston — go to hell! 

[Leisler disappears into his doorway; after a 
moment of consternationj Nicholson waves his 
hand imperiously, and darts into the Fort, fol- 
lowed by Bayard, while Van Cortlandt hur- 
ries out left, and Philipse and Nicolls right. 

LIVINGSTON 

If I commanded here, that German boor would go to 
gaol. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Quite so, brother! And if he commanded here, you 
would go to — Boston. 

LIVINGSTON 

His insolence to his Honor passeth patience. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Was it worse in kind than that of Mr. Nicolls to poor 
Frau Leisler? 

LIVINGSTON 

Joanna, I understand not your tolerance for these 
Leislers. They are enemies to his Majesty, and un- 
worthy of your condescension. 



Jacob Leisler 27 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Curtseyinff. 
Capt. Leisler's pretty daughter hath flattering rever- 
ence for that great lady your sister — 'Jacobite' though 
she be. 

LIVINGSTON 

And Capt. Leisler's pretty son hath even more flatter- 
ing reverence, I hear. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Oh, *a cat may look at a king.' Besides, the youth 
hath better manners than his father. Moreover, if he 
had not pulled me out of the Hudson when my canoe 
upset, you might have been at expense for a spreading 
tablet recounting my many amiable qualities and un- 
timely end. 

l^Mary Leisler and Abraham Gouverneur saun- 
ter in, close together, from the left. They 
are prepossessing young people, of about the 
same age. 

LIVINGSTON 

One word had sufiiced for thy epitaph — Vixen!' But 
his Honor awaits me, and so I leave you to your Dutch 
friends. 

[He strides off right. 



28 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Come hither, Mary Leisler, and give an account of 
yourself ! 

MARY 

[Goinff shyly to Miss Livingston^ and kissing 
her extended hand. 
It hath been long, Madam, since you favored these 
parts with your gracious presence. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Kissing Mary affectionately on both cheeks. 
The longer to me, child, that it hath hid thy pretty 
face from me. But, come now, who is this jonkheer 
who casts such worshipful eyes at Mary Leisler's feet ? 

MARY 

No jonkheer, Madam, but a Huguenot refugee my 
father hath befriended. He hath much schooling, 
knoweth all three languages perfectly, and writes tnost 
clerkly. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

And, if I mistake not, he hath some lore in reading a 
maid's eyes. 



Jacob Leisler 29 

MARY 

May I present him to you, Madam ? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 
Surely. 

MARY 

[To Abraham, who has lingered afar. 
Abraham Gouverneur, you may approach and pay your 
respects to Miss Livingston. 

[He comes and makes a low bow. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I am told, Sir, you are a subject of Louis XIV? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Then, Madam, you have been misinformed — not of 
Louis, but of William and Mary. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

So you are resolved to be a rebel, whether at home 
or abroad? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Madam, when kings conspire, they should remember 
their subjects look to them for example. 



30 Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Shall the clay presume to judge the potter's hand? 

GOUVERNEUR 

The clay is God's clay, and the hand that fashions it 
oweth like fealty to God. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Master Gouverneur, the head that gendereth a wit so 
nimble too well becomes your shoulders to risk it for 
this Dutch William, and as {indicating Mary] for 
your Queen Mary, I think she standeth here. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Amen to that last, Madam! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

And now, Sir, if you will pardon us, I would have a 
word with this same maid. 

[Gouverneur bows and retreats. 
Remember, Mary needeth your head more than Wil- 
liam! 

GOUVERNEUR 

Madam, it belongs to both. 

\He bows himself out, left. 



Jacob Leisler 31 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Child, child, we are fallen upon troublous times. 
Here was your father but now, telling the Leftenant- 
Governor and all the rest of us to go to Boston, where 
they have imprisoned his Excellency, and [with an 
imitation of Leisler s manner^ he finally consigned us 
to an even worse place, while here comes this comely 
youth with his glib treason. The town seems to have 
gone mad. 

[Her hands upon Mary's shoulders. 
Are you, too, a traitor to his Majesty? 

MARY 

Miadam, I know little of such matters. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

And your brother, Cobus, he also holdeth for the 

Prince of Orange, I dare be sworn? 

[Jacob Leisler, Jr., comes gayly in from the 
right. He is modish in attire, and courtly in 
bearing, the antithesis of his father. 

MARY 

I think he doth. But here he is — tax him for your- 
.self! 



32 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTOJSr 

[Holding out her hand to Cobus. 
Well, Sir, where is your bow of orange ribbon? 

COBUS 

[As he kisses her hand. 
Madam, the very sky has turned from Stuart-white to 
the golden glow that heralds a new day. 

[An allusion to the sunset light that now floods 
the scene. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Say rather that heralds the night of turmoil and dis- 
order ! 

MARY 

Token that my mother hath need of me. Cobus, you 
will escort Miss Livingston to Mayor Van Cortlandt's. 
You are guests of your brother-in-law, are you not ? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Yes, child. Come to me there to-morrow [kissing her] 
and do your endeavor to keep Master Abraham's head 
on his shoulders! 

MARY 

Madam, I will. 

[She runs into the house. 



Jacob Leisler 33 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

You saved my life once, Master Cobus; I would do 
you like service now — keep you clear of this Dutch 
plot! 

COBUS 

My life is of small worth weighed against your dis- 
favor — and yet I may best serve you by being disloyal 
to you in this. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Speak not of disloyalty to me, — it is your King who 
hath right to your allegiance. 

YSweetly, 
And yet, if you really care what I think 

COBUS 

How should a man without honor hope for grace at 
honor's shrine? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Words, words, words — it is ever the man's way to 
cajole us with words. Now, if I were a man 

COBUS 

If you were a man you would not tempt a poor deni- 
zen of earth with vision of Elysium. 



34 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



Master Leisler, I like better your father's sincere pro- 
fanity than your profane sincerity. 
[She starts away haughtily. 



COBUS 

^Following her. 
Miss Livingston's censure is more precious than an- 
other's praise. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Will you have done, Sir! So many sv^eetmeats w^ill 
spoil my relish for Madam Van Cortlandt's supper. 

[They disappear right, still wrangling. The 
scene has been growing dark, and is now 
left vacant a moment until the old lamplighter 
appears and proceeds to light the lanterns. As 
he goes out, Fran Stoll, a child clinging to her 
skirts, comes from the left. 

FRAU STOLL 

[Looking about her. 
Oh, that wander-foot, Joost Stoll — he hath been over- 
loopen the town the whole blessed afternoon, and me 
with the inn to keep, and the bar to tend, and the chil- 



Jacob Leisler 35 

dren to look after. God pity a poor wife who hath 
a pot-house politician for a husband! 

[Stall is heard singing 'Lilliburlero.' 
There he is now — drunk as usual! 

[Shaking her fist. 
Oh, you villain, you sot — wait until I get my hands 
on you! 

STOLL 

[As he zig-zags in from the right — not per- 
ceiving his wife. 
Whoop, huzzay for King Mary and Queen William! 
Who's 'fraid of ol' Andros, or oF King James, or ol' 
'ristocrats ? 

[Sings: 
'Orange boven, de witten onder; 
Die't anders meend, die staat der donder.' 
{'The orange goes up and the white under; 
Who says not so shall be shot, by thunder!^) 

FRAU STOLL 

[In a terrible voice. 
Joost Stoll! 

STOLL 

[Startledj his rampant manner changing to 
wheedling conciliation. 
Oh, zere's my li'l gode vrouw, Elishamet! 



36 Jacob Leisler 

[Chuckinff her under the chin. 
Been lookin' for you everywherej Elishamet. 



FRAU STOLL 

Yes, everywhere — except at home, where I belong, and 
where I stay. 

STOLL 

[With conviction. 
Ach, donder! Zha's rhi' — nev' thought of zhat! 



FRAU STOLL 

[Seizing him by the ar?n. 
Now, Sir, I want to know what you have been doing, 
and how it comes you are drunk so early? 



STOLL 
[Proudly. 
Been savin' country. Had ol' Andros shut up in Bos- 
ton, and kept ol' Nicholson from settin' town on fire. 



FRAU STOLL 

Looks more like you'd been trying to set the town on 
fire yourself. 



Jacob Leisler 37 



STOLL 

Awful battle at the Broadway Gate, but / saved it, an' 
now I'm goin' to take train bands up the river to fight 
ol' French King an' his Indians, 

[Confused voices are heard outside. 
Zere zey come now. 

\Seeking to disengage his wife's hold. 
Mus' go meet French. 

FRAU STOLL 

[Resolutely. 
No, you'll go meet your children — if you have the 
face to. 

STOLL 

[His hand on the child's head. 
Does de moeder wan' ol' French King to scalp poor 
li'l' Joost StoU's Elishamet's Annetje? 

FRAU STOLL. 

[Dragging him away. 
You come along home with me, and see who's scalped 
when I get you there ! 

[They all go away left, while the noise and 
shouting of the crowd are heard from the op- 
posite direction. Then Stoll darts back. 



38 Jacob Leisler 

STOLL 

Hip, whoop, huzzay for Joost Stoll, an' down with all 

'ristocra.s an' Indians! 

[ He makes a corkscrew flight j and has almost 
escaped, when Frau Stoll bounces in again. 

FRAU STOLL 

Joost Stoll, come back here! 

[^The roll of a drum is heard. 

STOLL 

Mus' go save country. Don't you hear country callin' 
me? 

FFAU STOLL 

Don't you hear me calling you? 

Stoll 

[Meandering toward her with drunken dignity. 
Ja, ja, li'l' goede vrouw Elishamet, I'm comin' home 
— straight. 

FRAU STOLL 

[Grabs him. 
No, you're not coming home 'straight' — but you're 
coming straight home! 

[She leads him away once more. 



Jacob Leisler 39 



SHOUTS 

Leisler, Leisler! Make Leisler come! Capt. Leis- 

ler's the man to lead us. 

[The crozudj led by Gouverneur, szuanns in 
from the right — sailors, mernhers of the train 
hands carrying muskets, burghers bearing lan- 
terns and torches, etc. They surround Leis- 
ter's door, and continue their calls for him. 

CROWD 

Leisler, Leisler, Leisler! Leisler shall lead us! 
Leisler wouldn't pay duty to a Papist collector. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Now, then, everybody — hip, hip, huzzay for King 
William and Jacob Leisler! 

CROWD 

Hip, hip, huzzay for King William and Jacob Leisler ! 
\Francina, in night-dress, holding a lighted 
candle, comes out upon the stoop. She is 
frightened by the tumult and laughter until 
Leisler takes her up in his arms and raises his 
hand for quiet. 



40 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

Maybe I am mistake', but I thought I heard some- 
body call for Jacob Leisler? Well, I am here. You 
want to hang me, eh ? 

LAUGHTER AND VOICES 

No, hang Nicholson and King James! We want you 
to lead us. We don't want the town burnt and our 
throats cut. 

LEISLER 

But what's the matter? 

GOUVERNEUR 

The case standeth thus. Captain Leisler: This afters 
noon Leftenant Cuyler, in command of Captain De 
Peyster's train band in the Fort, was censured by Lef- 
tenant-Governor Nicholson for placing a sentinel at 
the eastward sallyport. And when Leftenant Cuyler 
would explain, his Honor called him a rogue, threat- 
ened to burn the town and turned the guns of the 
Fort upon us. 

CROWD 

He holds the Fort for King James ! Down with him ! 
Are you for King William? 



Jacob Leisler 41 



LEISLER 



My friends, I saw that Prince of Orange once — when 
he was a boy — and I have loved him ever since. He 
is God's King, because he stands for liberty to worship 
God and serve Him in freedom from tyranny. 



A VOICE 



What did King James ever do for New York ? 

[Frau Leisler and Mary come out to learn the 
cause of the tumult. 



LEISLER 

[Handing the child to her mother. 
I will tell you, my friend, what that King James did 
for New York. When he was the Duke of York, he 
let us tax ourselves and make our own laws. That 
was the easiest way to get our money. But when he 
became King already, he took away our General As- 
sembly 'because no other Province had one,' and he 
was afraid he had been too good to us. 

[Laughter and applause. 
When he was the Duke of York, we had a governor 
and a government of our own. When he became the 
great King James, he made us tail to the Boston kite, 



42 Jacob Leisler 

carried off our records to Boston, and sent a Gover- 
nor to rule us from Boston, with a leftenant here to 
make us take the medicine Boston sent us. 

[A roar of approbation. 
When he was the Duke of York, only my friend, 
Jacob Milborne, and I had to go to prison to worship 
God in freedom. But when he became King we must 
all go to mass. And now that he is gone to Paris, his 
good friend. King Louis, has promised to send over 
an army to carry all the Huguenots back to France 
and drive all the rest of us into the woods. How you 
like that, eh ? 

[The crowd answers with a torrent of dissent, 
cries of 'No, no, no!' banging of musket-butts, 
and waving of torches and swords. Leisler, 
stilling the uproar, goes on: 
My friends, when things get so bad as they can be, 
then men cry to God and God sends relief. When the 
men of England found the great King James deter- 
mined to rule by the sword, when he had cut off Mon- 
mouth's head, and sent the bishops to the Tower, then 
they cried out to that Prince of Orange over the water. 
They thought the Stadtholder who had opened the 
Amsterdam dykes and saved the Netherlands from 
Louis XIV was just the King to save England from 
that Louis XIV. And that grandson of William the 
Silent, Founder of the Dutch Republic, he has come 



Jacob Leisler 43 

to England to save England from Louis and the Pope. 
Will you help him? 

CROWD 
[With a roar. 
Aye, aye, aye ! William and Mary for England ! Wil- 
liam and Mary for New York! 

\^Van Cortlandt and Bayard appear on the out- 
skirts of the crowd at the right, and observe 
the proceedings disdainfully. 

LEISLER 

But, my friends, we have here in New York some 
people who say they are loyal citizens — and uphold 
King James; who say they would defend New York 
against Louis — but refuse to proclaim William. 

[Pointing suddenly to the newcomers. 
And there stand two of them now! 

[Hostile murmur from the crowd. 

BAYARD 

Will Captain Leisler permit me to ask who appointed 
him judge of those w-ho govern New York? 

LEISLER 

God has appointed every citizen of New York the 
judge of those who govern New York^ 



44 Jacob Leisler 

BAYARD 

No, Captain Leisler. God makes it the duty of every 
loyal citizen and good Christian to submit to the pow- 
ers that be. You, Captain Leisler, and you, good 
people, are treading upon dangerous ground — ground 
that may well lead to the gaol and the scaffold — when 
you set yourselves up to say who has right to the 
throne of England, when you condemn his Majesty's 
officers because they are not swift to hail his successor. 
If, indeed, the Prince of Orange has become King, we 
who represent England here will proclaim him in due 
season. 

[With stern authority. 
Meanwhile, as Colonel of his Majesty's militia, I or- 
der all members of the train bands here present to 
come out of this rabble and help me disperse it. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

As Mayor of the city, I counsel and command you to 
return quietly to your homes and cease riotous med- 
dling with what does not concern you. 

[There is a pause, but nobody budges. 

LEISLER 

Well, my friends, you have heard the command of 
King James's Colonel and King James's Mayor, and 



Jacob Leisler 45 

you have been warned about King James's gaol and 
scaffold. Why don't you disperse? Are you waiting 
for King James himself to come over from France 
and tell you to go home? 

[Lauffhter. 
Sometimes, when there was some little question he did 
not care to bother his head over, the great King James 
let us take a vote. So many of you as hold for King 
William, say 'Aye.' 

CROWD 

[With a mighty roar. 
Aye! 

LEISLER 

Those for King James say 'No.' 

\A dead silence ensues. 
The 'Ayes' seetn to have it. 

[Laughter. 

BAYARD 

Bah! What does a rabble's 'vote' signify? 

LEISLER 

So much, Nicholas Bayard, that the kings of days to 
come will sit up all night in fear and trembling to find 
out how 'the rabble' has voted. 



46 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 
[In a fury. 
This is treason, Captain Leisler. Leftenant-Governor 
Nicholson shall hear of it. You shall swing from the 
Fort gibbet! 

LEISLER 

Better men have swung in a worse cause, Nicholas. 
But, my friends, have you nothing to say about this 
Leftenant-Governor Nicholson, who is to hang me 
from the Fort gibbet? Who declares to me he will 
live and die by his commission from King James? 
Who turns the guns of the Fort upon the town when 
you try to put a Protestant garrison there? Do you 
think King Williams Fort should be held by King 
William's enemies? 

CROWD 

[In fervent ensemble. 
No! 

LEISLER 

Then why don't you take that Fort and hold it for 
William and Mary? 

GOUVERNEUR 

That's just what we're going to do, and we want you 

irr\ l^irfl lie 



to lead us. 



Jacob Leisler 47 

CROWD 

Aye, aye ! We want you to lead us. That's what we 
came for. 

LEISLER 

[Drawing back. 
Ah, sacaramund, no, no, no — you don't want old Jacob 
Leisler. He is not educate' or [viewing himself rue- 
fully^ good to look at. He is only a very plain man — 
just like you. 

[Pointing out persons in the crowd. 
Why not Captain De Peyster, or Captain Lodowick, 
or Peter De La Noy ? I will follow any of them with 
you. 

.CRQWD 

No, no, no — we want you! You wouldn't pay duty 
to a Papist. You went to prison with Milborne. 
You're not afraid of Nichplson. 

LEISLER 

No, my friends, old Jacob Leisler does not care for his 
life when he can serve God and his country. 

[Putting aside his wife and daughter, who seek 
to detain him, he rushes down to take com- 
mand of the crowd. 
And so— if it must be — come on! We will take the 



48 Jacob Leisler 

Fort, and may God help us to keep it for King Wil- 
liam and the people of New York! 

[The people cheer wildly, and gather behind 
Leisler, ready to follow him. 
Mary, bring me my sword! 

[Mary goes quickly into the house. 
Captain Lodowick, go you with a guard to Leftenant- 
Governor Nicholson, at the Stadt Haus, and demand 
the keys of the Fort! Take no refusal! [Indicating 
Van Cortlandt and Bayard] And take these gentlemen 
with you to tell His Honor whence comes your author- 
ity, and how the people have voted on King William! 
[Several militiamen swiftly surround Van Cort- 
landt and Bayard, and hurry them, resisting, 
away. Bayard, trying to draw his sword, has 
it taken from him. 

BAYARD 

This is an outrage, Captain Leisler! 



LEISLER 

Oh, no, Nicholas — only an escort! 

[The guard rushes Van Cortlandt and Bayard 
away, right. Mary comes back, bringing Leis- 
ler s hat and sword, with which she invests 



Jacob Leisler 49 

him. He kisses her and waves adieu to Frau 
Leisler, who goes, with Francina, into the 
house in tears. 



LEISLER 

Abraham, stay you here to look after my family! 
[Drawing his sword and pointing to gates. 

Now, my friends, over the wall, unbar the gates, and 

down with that Jacobite sign ! 

\The militiamen cheer and rush for the gates, 
with roll of drums and brandishing of weapons 
and torches. The sentinel fires off his musket 
and runs away. A burgher with a rope scales 
the arch over the gates, and loops one end of 
it over the insignia of King James at its sum- 
mit, throwing the other to his fellows below, 
who, with a pull all together, bring it clatter- 
ing to the ground — a precedent for the pa- 
triots of a hundred years later, who similarly 
roped down the statue of George HI on this 
spot. Meanwhile other militiamen have scaled 
the gates, and after a brief clash of swords 
and the firing of a shot or two, the gates are 
thrown open and the others pour in, singing, 
^Lilliburlero.' Leisler, who has remained 
without, directing the assault, now closes the 



50 Jacob Leisler 

gates, and, after posting a sentinel outside 
thetUj waves a triumphant greeting to Gouver- 
neur and Mary, and disappears within the 
gates. Gouverneur holds out his arms to 
Mary, and, after a moment's pause, they meet 
and clasp hands. 



ACT II 

The scene is the same as that of Act I, but the in- 
signia of King James over the gates of the Fort has 
given place to that of William and Mary, and the 
muzzles of the cannon have been turned toward the 
bay. The time is an autumn morning of i68g. 

A militia sentinel is discovered pacing back and forth 
across the closed gates of the sallyport. Several chil- 
dren are passing j single file, from right to left, with 
small hand-barrows and baskets containing stones. 
Mary Leisler comes from the house in semi-military 
dress. 

MARY 

Company, attention! Halt! 

[The children stop. 
Break ranks! 

[The children leave their barrows and crowd 
about her. 
Little soldiers of King William, do you know how 
many loads of stones you have brought to repair his 
Fort to-day? One hundred loads. Isn't that fine, and 
won't he be the proud King when he hears how his 
dear children serve him? 

51 



52 Jacob Leisler 

CHILDREN 

Huzzay for King William and Captain Mary Leisler! 
[They join hands and dance about Mary, sing- 
ing: 
'King William is King James's son, 
And from a royal race is sprung. 
Upon his breast he wears a star, 
As he rides away to his country's war.' 

MARY 

I 
[Laughingly interrupting. 

No, no, no, that's an old Jacobite song! 

CHILDREN 

[Dancing and singing to the air of 'Lillibur- 
lerof 
'King William's soldiers merry are we, 

Lilliburlero bullen a la, 
Building his Fort for Captain Marie, 

Lilliburlero bullen a la. 
Lero, lero, lilliburlero, lilliburlero bullen a la, 
Lero, lero, lilliburlero, lilliburlero bullen a la.' 

COBUS 
[Behind gates. 
Halt! 



Jacob Leisler 53 

[ Crash of musket-butts on the ground. 
Unbar the gates! 

MARY 

The big soldiers are coming, and we must not block 

the way. Attention! 

[ The children spring bach to their places at the 
barrows. 

Forward march ! 

{The children go out left, single file. The 
gates are thrown open, disclosing a squad 
of militiamen drawn up in line across the gate- 
way. The sentinel presents arms, as Cobus 
marches up to his sister and gives her a mili- 
tary salute. He is in uniform, and tucked into 
his sword-belt is a document. 

MARY 

Good morning, Leftenant Cobus. Is your escort for 
Master Riggs, King William's messenger? 

COBUS 

No, Gouverneur hath been sent to Col. Bayarrl's house 
to bring Master Riggs hither. I am for the Broad 
Way to honor the arrival of father's old friend, Jacob 
Milborne, expected from Albany. 



54 Jacob Leisler 

MARY 

Who is he, this Jacob Milborne? 

COBUS 

A very godly and instructed man, some time of these 
parts, but of late years much in England, where he 
affiliated with the Puritans. 

MARY 

Alackaday, how solemn! I'm sure I shan't like him! 

COBUS 

Your liking or disliking, Mistress, will be small mat- 
ter to him. If he joins with us, as father hopes he 
may, he will have weightier matters to consider than 
a maid's fancy. Besides, he is a middle-aged widower, 
who hath long since put frivolity by. 

MARY 

And your long face this morning would seem to say 
that you, too, have turned Puritan. 

COBUS 

[Touching the document at his belt. 
I have that here which makes me wish myself behind 
prison doors. 



Jacob Leisler 55 

MARY 

Another warrant of arrest for some one we know ? 

COBUS 

[Low. 
For Eobert Livingston! 

MARY 

Poor Cobus! I pray God Master Riggs brings King 
William's warrant for all our father hath done as 
Commander-in-Chief of this perturbed Province. 

COBUS 

And yet I misdoubt the report Leftenant-Governor 
Nicholson gave the King when he fled away to Eng- 
land. 

[Miss Livingston comes gayly from the right. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Do I intrude upon a council of war? Yes, I see by 
your looks I do. Well, the least you can do is to 
arrest me — most of the decent people are in gaol. 

COBUS 

Madam, your presence there would make that insti- 
tution altogether too popular. 



^6 Jacob Leisler 



MARY 



He was just saying some of his duties make him wish 
himself behind prison bars. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Be patient! King James is already back in Ireland, 
and as soon as he reaches Whitehall your wish may 
be granted. 

COBUS 

But, alas. Madam, the decree that put me in gaol 

would liberate you! 

[Miss Livingston tiptoes right and left, making 
pretence of seeing whether anyone is listening; 
then, taking Mary by one hand, and Cobus 
by the other, she leads them a step or so for- 
ward, and asks with mock concern: 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Tell me, now, who is to be the next unwilling guest 
of the Herr Commander-in-Chief? 

COBUS 

Would you convict me of treason to King William as 
well as to King James? 



Jacob Leisler 57 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Snatching the document from his belt and 
dancing off with it. 
Nay, nay, this will suffice! 

[Eluding the pursuit of Cobus, as she opens and 
glances over the document. 
'Warrant of arrest for Robert Livingston.' 'Failure 
to pay taxes.' 'Jacobite!' 'Hath spoken disrespectful 
of the Herr Commander-in-Chief Leisler and of the 
Herr Prince of Orange.' 

[She returns the paper to Cobus with a low 
curtsey. 
That he hath, I dare be sworn, for he speaks disre- 
spectful of everybody — and pays taxes to no one. 



COBUS 

[Confused and distressed. 
Madam, I beg you to believe that I shall find it very 
difficult and distressing to apprehend your brother. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

So you will, i' faith, for he is well on his way to Hart- 
ford — somewhat beyond the Herr Leisler's jurisdic- 
tion, I take it. 



58 Jacob Leisler 

COBUS 

I am heartily glad to hear it. 

MISS LIVINGSTON" 

But you can arrest me — I am for King James, whether 
my brother is or not. 

[^She sings to the air of 'When the King Enjoys 
His Own Again {see notes) : 
'Still will I wait till the waters abate which most dis- 
turb my troubled brain, 
For I'll never rejoice till I hear that voice, that the 
King comes home in peace again.' 

COBUS 

If I could imprison your will, as well as your person, 
that Jacobite ditty should be my justification. 

{^Drawing his sword he salutes her; then to 
militiamen : 
Attention! By the double file, march! 

YCobus fnarches his squad off right. The sen- 
tinel closes the gates. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Calling after him. 
Commend me to my brother — when you catch him! 
[Comes to Mary and embraces her. 



Jacob Leisler 59 

Child, child, I could die of laughter at all this military 
masquerading, if it had not such serious import for 
my little Mary — and those dear to her. 



MARY 

But, Madam, King William must needs hold for them 
who hold for him. My father hath had him pro- 
claimed, and governs the Province in his name. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

•King William, King William,'— a fig for 'King Wil- 
liam' ! He is but the creature of the disaffected nobles 
and gentry of England, and, even should he vuin, it is 
they w^ho vv^ill govern England and this Province of 
New York. 

'[Jacob Milborne stalks solemnly in from the 

left. He is in Puritan dress and of austere 

mien. 
The Prince of Orange is no republican, nor fanatic, 
neither, — but, I'll warrant, here comes one who is 
both! 

MILBORNE 

\With grave deliberation and impressiveness. 
I am seeking one Jacob Leisler. 



6o Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Makinff him an exaggerated curtsey and 
speaking in mocking imitation of his manner. \ 
Seek, and ye shall find ! And if 'one' Jacob Leisler is ' 
not enough, you may have two. Which seek ye, 
Brother Barebones, the father or the son? 

MILBORNE 

[Offended. 
I would have speech with the Commander-in-Chief of 
this Province. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Alas, brother, Sir Edmund Andros is still in Boston 
gaol, and Leftenant-Governor Nicholson is in Eng- 
land. 

MILBORNE 

And well would it be if every son of Belial and daugh- 
ter of Jezebel were with them. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Folding her hands upon her breast, closing her 
eyes, and making him a profound reverence. 
Verily, verily, Brother Barebones, most of those you| 
allude to would hold either England or gaol the fairer 
residence — just now. 



Jacob Leisler 6i 



MILBORNE 



'Miscall me not! I am Jacob Milborne, and I had 
expected other entertainment than bandying words 
with a mocker of holy speech. 

MARY 

Oh, if you are Master Milborne, my father hath sent 
my brother with an escort to greet you. 

MILBORNE 

Thou art daughter to the Commander-in-Chief of the 
larmy of Israel? 

MARY 

I am Mary Leisler. 

MILBORNE 

[Extending his hand. 
I am gratified to see thee, Mary, — though I had not 
thought to meet thee in such company. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Be comforted, Brother Barebones; there is going to 
be an immediate separation of the sheep and the goats ! 
\She whispers in Mary^s ear, then lilts away 
right, and, turning, calls hack to her: 



62 Jacob Leisler 

Daughter of Israel, tell Fath'er Esau to look well toj 

his birthright — here's Jacob come back! jj 

[JVith which parting shot she vanishes. 

MILBORNE 

\Pointing solemnly after her. 
Of such was she who danced before Herod and she 
who betrayed Samson! 

MARY 

I pray you, judge her not too harshly! Her sprightlyj 
tongue outruns her kindly heart, and, indeed, mj 
father hath treated her people with severity. 

MILBORNE 

*Woe to the crown of pride, woe to the drunkards oi 
Ephraim!' 

MARY 

[Starting to go. 
I will tell my father you are here. Sir. 

MILBORNE 

Nay, Mary, I would have further speech with thee 
Send yon sentinel to summon thy father ! 

{^Mary speaks to sentinelj who goes out by the 

gates. Milborne lays his hand upon Mary's 

shoulder. 



\ 



Jacob Leisler 63 

I am pleased to see by thy attire that thou art indeed 
a true daughter of Israel in this great struggle against 
the Philistines. 

MARY 

1 [Gently evading his touch. 

[ should not be a true daughter of my father were I 

^ot ready to give even my life for King William. 

MILBORNE 

light bravely spoken, Mary! [Significantly'] And 
he chance to make thy life of great and peculiar serv- 
:e to the King's cause may be nearer than thou 
hinkest. 

MARY 

/ly brother tells me you are lately from England. 

MILBORNE 

is even so. With my own eyes I saw how the 
rince of Orange spared his wicked father-in-law, even 
5 David spared Saul, and was welcomed and crowned, 
;^en as the tribes of Israel crowned David. 

MARY 

tod grant that King William frees New York as he 
as freed old England! 



64 Jacob Leisler 



MILBORNE 

Amen to that! But King William is far from thi^ 
poor Province, and surrounded by great ones who holt 
it in contempt, a plaything for their pleasure. 

[The gates fly open to Leisler, who rushes td 
Milborne, holding out both hands. 

LEISLER 

Ach, my friend, God has sent you to help me! 
[The sentinel closes the gates. 

MILBORNE 

Even as He commanded Aaron to go into the w^ilder- 
ness to meet Moses. 

LEISLER 

Go tell mother Jacob is here! 
[Mary enters the house. 

MILBORNE 

. ll 

As was Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel, thy Mary is! 

fair to look upon. ' : 

LEISLER 

A good girl — like her mother. 

[His hands upon Milborne's shoulders. 



Jacob Leisler 65 

ind now, Jacob, listen to me ! The people have made 
le Commander-in-Chief — all but they of Albany, 
[ou shall go to Albany for me. 

I MILBORNE 

ferhaps. What else? 

LEISLER 

have had William and Mary proclaimed. I have put 
leir enemies in gaol. I have made the Fort ready to 
ight the French. I have called a congress of all the 
lolonies to raise an army to go against Canada — just 
^ William the Silent called a congress of the Nether- 
md Provinces to fight the Spanish a hundred years 
ro. 

MILBORNE 

doubt whether this William will like the liberty 
)u take in following his grandfather's example. 

LEISLER 

T^hy should the King of England not like to have 
le call a congress to fight for him? 

MILBORNE 

ecause the next congress of these Colonies may be 
died to fight against him. 



66 



Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

What I have done was for King William. 

MILBORNE 

And what has King William done for you? 

LEISLER 



% 



I don't know, Jacob. But his messenger is even no 
at Col. Bayard's house. I have sent for him. 

MILBORNE 

Nicholson has misrepresented you to the King as i 
ambitious and reckless usurper. Has he had you 
side of the story? 

LEISLER 

Ach, ya, ya, ya! Long ago I sent him a letter, wit 
all the papers, by Joost Stoll, my Ensign. 



MILBORNE 

A publican to parley with princes! 



LEISLER 



But he will give the King my letter, nicht wahr 
Only it was not very good English, my letter. Tha 



Jacob Leisler 67 

is another reason why I need you, Jacob. You know 
that good English ; you shall tell that King William 
what Jacob Leisler has to say. 

MILBORNE 

What have you to say? 

LEISLER 

That I humbly beseech his approval of all I have done 
in his name. 

MILBORNE 

William's approval is for those able to do without it — 
not for those who fear him, but for those he fears. 
Your enemies do not beseech — they demand. If you 
wish his approval of what you have done, you must 
make him dread what you may do. 

LEISLER 

What should the King dread from me, who ask, but 
to serve him? 

MILBORNE 

What he dreads from them of New England — that 
those refused his commission might make shift to do 
without it. 



68 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

[Shocked. 
But — ^Jacob — that would be treason! 

MILBORNE 

You account it not treason to serve William instead of 
James — why is it treason to serve God and the people 
of New York instead of William? 

LEISLER 

William's cause is God's cause. My sword, my for- 
tune, and my life belong to the King. 

MILBORNE 

Bah, mere sentiment! The people follow you. Why 
should you truckle to a ruler beyond seas, when you 
might be one yourself? If you think so highly of 
William, follow his example! 

LEISLER 

The dearest wish of my heart is that the King may 
make me his governor, as the people have made me 
theirs. But I will not use the power they have given 
me for my own glory. 



Jacob Leisler 69 



MILBORNE 



And your reward will be to see the King choose for 
your place some dissolute Court favorite. 



LEISLER 



No, I'll not believe it! You shall help me fight his 
battles and see how unjust you have been to him. 
You shall lead our army against Canada. 



MILBORNE 



[After thinking it over. 
Yes — on one condition. 



LEISLER 

Ach, Jacob, you know I can refuse my old friend 
nothing. 

MILBORNE 

Give me thy daughter Mary to wife! 



LEISLER 

[Startled. 
But — she is only a child yet. 



70 Jacob Leisler 

MILBORNE 

Samuel was but a child when he was taken up to Shi- 
loh to serve in the temple. 

LEISLER 

But she doesn't know her own mind already — about 
such things. 

MILBORNE 

All the more reason why you should choose for her. 

LEISLER 

It is a very great honor you do her — but really she is 
not worthy. You should have a wife old enough to 
understand and help you. 

MILBORNE 

She is wise beyond her years, and I shall teach her 
to appreciate me. 

LEISLER 

I don't know but there may be some foolishness about 
a boy — and he is a good boy, too — ^Abraham Gouver- 
neur. 

MILBORNE 

Can he do more for you than I can ? 



Jacob Leisler 71 



LEISLER 



Listen, Jacob! You shall come to live in my house, 
and talk to this little Mary, and when she is like to be 
your wife, it shall be so. 



MILBORNE 



It is not seemly that one of my years should dance 
attendance upon a maid's whims, 

[Mary reappears upon the stoop. 



LEISLER 



But, Jacob, my mind is so full of the King's business — 
let us talk of that now — this matter can wait. 



MILBORNE 



No, I must back to Albany at once. Shall it be on 
your affairs or my own? 

LEISLER 

[Perplexed and distressed, he looks from Mil- 
borne to Mary a moment , and then calls: 
Mary! 

MARY 

Yes, father? 



72 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

Come here, daughter! 

[Mary comes to Leisler. He places his hand 
tenderly upon her head. 
Mary, this is my old friend, Jacob Milborne. 

[Correcting himself: 
My best friend, Mary, — he is not so old, neither. And 
I have sent for him to come and help me — I need him 
sorely. 

[Hesitating. 
And he has done me the very great honor — he has 
done you the very great honor — to think you can help 
us save New York for King William. 

MARY 

Ah, father, you know I would do anything for you, 
anything for the King. Tell me what it is! Am I 
to go among the Indians — or to Canada? 

[Leisler looks helplessly from Mary to Mil- 
borne, unable to speak. 

MILBORNE 

Mary, I have chosen thee for my wife. 

[Mary looks at Milborne bewildered, then, as 
his meaning dawns upon her, she recoils, looks 
about her as if to flee, and bursts into tears. 



Jacob Leisler 73 

LEISLER 

[Taking her into his arms. 
Don't, Mary; don't cry like that! Old Jacob Leisler 
is not going to sacrifice his child — even for the King. 

MILBORNE 

Did Abraham refuse to sacrifice Isaac for the King? 

LEISLER 

No, Jacob, no — but I am not Abraham ! If you want 
to marry this little maid, you must get her to say 'yes' 
already. 

l^The roll of a drum is heard. Leisler goes 
quickly left, looks in the direction whence the 
sound comes, and then returns exultantly. 

LEISLER 

Here is the King's messenger! Now we shall see 
what William and Mary have to say to Jacob Leisler. 

[Abraham Gouverneur marches in at the head 
of a file of militia, escorting John Riggs, and 
followed by Pere Millet between two Mo- 
hawk Indians carrying muskets and in war 
paint. Pere Millet wears a priest's robe and 



74 Jacob Leisler 

rosary. Gouverneur and Riggs go to Leisler. 
The militia take position at the right, while 
Pere Millet and the Indians remain at the left. 



GOUVERNEUR 

[Saluting. 
John Riggs, Commander, with a letter from their 
Majesties. 

LEISLER 

[Shaking hands with Riggs warmly. 
Their Majesties' messenger must needs be welcome 
where their Majesties' authority is honored next to 
God's. 

RIGGS 

I am told so. Commander Leisler, and I believe it will 
please their gracious Majesties to hear such good re- 
port. 

LEISLER 

This is my friend, Jacob Milborne. He is lately from 
England, too. 

RIGGS 

[Shaking hands with Milborne. 
I have met Mr. Milborne in London. 



Jacob Leisler 75 



LEISLER 



\Indicating Pere Millet j while Riggs and Mil- 
borne converse. 
Who is your prisoner, Abraham? 



GOUVERNEUR 



A French priest, Commander, taken at Ft. Frontenac 
by our Indians. 



LEISLER 



[Sharply to Pere Millet. 
Approchez, Monsieur, que je vous parle! 

[Pere Millet goes to Leisler. 
Comment vous nommez-vous? 



PERE MILLET 

Pere Millet, votre Excellence. 

LEISLER 

Est-ce que vous parlez I'anglais? 

PERE MILLET 
Tres mal, votre Excellence. 



76 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

Ni moi non plus, mais c'est dans les affaires anglaises 
que vous vous melez et nous parlerons I'anglais. At- 
tendez ! 

[Pere Millet bows. 
Jacob, will you take Mr. Riggs into the Fort ? I must 
question this French spy. You will excuse me a little, 
Mr. Riggs? 

RIGGS 

Certainly, Commander. I have asked Mr. Philipse 
and Mr. Van Cortlandt to confer with us here re- 
garding his Majesty's letter. 

[Milborne and Riggs go away together into the 
Fort. During the following scene Gouver- 
neur and Mary converse together. 

LEISLER 

[Turning sharply upon Pere Millet. 
You come from Quebec? 

[Pere Millet bows assent. 
Why has Monsieur le Comte de Frontenac sent you 
here? 

PERE MILLET 

[Very slowly and carefully. 
Monsieur le Comte de Frontenac not me has sent. 



Jacob Leisler 77 



LEISLER 

[ Contemptuously. 
Qui done? 

PERE MILLET 

Le bon Dieu m'a envoye — pardon! — the good God me 
sent to save the souls to these poor people. 
[Indicating the Indians. 



LEISLER 

Si, si, and maybe turn their guns against the English, 
too? Your 'good God' is for Frontenac, n'est-ce pas? 



PERE MILLET 

It may be thus, your Excellence, but I am not of His 
counsels as to the politique. 



LEISLER 

So? Tell me, then, is Frontenac at Quebec? 

PERE MILLET 

Your Excellence will excuse me not to answer that. 



78 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

How many soldiers has he there? 

[Pere Millet slowly shakes his head. 
Is he coming to attack us? 

PERE MILLET 

If your Excellence will pardon, I cannot to answer 
those question. 

LEISLER 

Do you know I can hang you as a spy ? Do you know 
what those Indians will do to you if I hand you back 
to them? 

PERE MILLET 

{^Solemnly kissing his crucifix. 
Yes, your Excellence, I know you can hang me as a 
spy — but you cannot make me to be a spy — either for 
you or for Frontenac. 

LEISLER 

[To Indians. 
Take him! 

[The Indians spring one to each side of Pere 
Millet, one drawing a knife, the other raising 
a tomahawk. Leisler pulls out his watch. 
I will give you just one minute to answer my ques- 
tions. 



Jacob Leisler 79 



PERE MILLET 

If I have but the one minute to live, your Excellence 
will not to refuse me one las' reques' ? 

LEISLER 

What is it — quick? 

PERE MILLET 

[Slowly and carefully as ever. 
You believe in the good God, is it not? 

LEISLER 
[Impatiently. 
Si, si, si — go on! 

PERE MILLET 

Then, in His name, I beg of you to have pity on the 
women and children taken by your Indians in this 
war! 

LEISLER 

[Looks at Pere Millet a moment, then puts up 
his watch and speaks courteously. 
Monsieur Millet, we war not upon women and chil- 
dren. 

[Waves the Indians away. 



8o Jacob Leisler 

Nor upon priests, neither. I don't think you are a 
spy — you will pardon if I said that! — but I will not 
take any chances yet, so you shall be my guest here 
in the Fort, and we will talk the French sometimes, 
n'est-ce pas? 

PERE MILLET 

My son, may He whose mercy you have shown the 
helpless be merciful to you! 



LEISLER 

[To militia. 
Attention ! March ! 

[Leisler conducts Pere Millet through the 
gates, opened by sentinel, followed by Indians 
and militia, keeping step to the tap of the 
drum. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Your father can show pity for a popish priest — but 
none for his own daughter! 



MARY 

Nay, Abraham, you are unjust. He is perplexed and 
beset, and he needs Mr. Milborne's help sorely. 



Jacob Leisler 



GOUVERNEUR 



Only a tyrant would demand such a sacrifice — only a 
brute would accept ft. 



MARY 



But my father has not demanded it. He has only let 
me see how much it means to him. 



GOUVERNEUR 

Then you can refuse — you will? 

MARY 

Abraham, if my father wished me to go among the 
enemy, as that poor priest has done, I would go. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Oh, we are all ready to give up our lives for the King 
— but not those we love! 

MARY 

My father has thrown his life, his fortune, all that he 
has, all that he loves, into this struggle. Shall I not 
be unworthy of him if I do less? 



82 Jacob Leisler 

GOUVERNEUR 

But this canting fanatic, what right has he to you? 
What more can he do to deserve you than I? 

MARY 

Alas, Abraham, Mr. Milborne is a very able man, 
and my father ^holds him necessary to his plans. 

GOUVERNEUR 

And so, it would seem, a marriage with this great Mr. 
Milborne is not so distasteful to you, after all! 

MARY 

[ Weeping. 

Ah, Abraham, you know my heart has always been 

yours — and will be, always. 

{Van Cortlandt, Philipse, Nicolls and Bayard 
appear at the left, unobserved by the lovers. 

GOUVERNEUR 

[Seizing Mary's hand. 
Mary, Mary, Mary, I will never give you up! 

BAYARD 

We come prepared for war — and interrupt a love 
scene. Ahem ! 



Jacob Leisler 83 

[Gouverneur drops Mary's hand in confusion. 
I humbly beg your pardon, Master Abraham, but I 
believe you know of our appointment here with Mr. 
Riggs and Captain Leisler? 



GOUVERNEUR 

I will tell them you are come. Sir. 

[Gouverneur goes quickly into the Fort, and 
Mary into the house. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Col. Bayard, did this fellow Riggs tell you to whom 
the King's letter is addressed? 

BAYARD 

Yes, — to Leftenant-Governor Nicholson. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Then he will assuredly deliver it to us, of his Honor's 
Council. 

BAYARD 

But he hath been told by the wise men of Boston that 
Leisler rules here, and that he should have the letter. 



84 Jacob Leisler 



NICOI.LS 



Gentlemen, a word with you ! Are you not in treason 
to his Majesty, King James, to receive the instructions 
of this upstart Prince of Orange? 



BAYARD 

I, for one, can never own William for my lawful sov- 
ereign so long as James is alive. 

PHILIPSE 

Softly, softly! You young men are so hot-headed! 
If we can make an upstart in England help us get rid 
of an upstart here in New York, King James will be 
well pleased enough to find his friends in power once 
he comes back to the throne. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

That is my advice — one step at a time. And the best 
way to get possession of the letter is to show William's 
messenger that this German boor's rule is less abso- 
lute than they of Boston have told him. 

PHILIPSE 

Easier said than done! He holds the Fort, and the 
militia and people are with him. 



Jacob Leisler 85 

BAYARD 

Not all of them. There was almost a riot at the Stadt 
Haus yesterday when his orders to fortify the city 
were proclaimed, many protesting they would pay no 
such tax and scorning the militia. 

NICOLLS 

Yes, and with furious threats to take the prisoners out 
of the Fort as well. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

If this Riggs had but witnessed such a sedition! 

BAYARD 

It would be most easy to set on the malcontents anew. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

He would be a shrewd man who should do it. 

PHILIPSE 

And a rash one ! Leisler has a heavy hand. 

BAYARD 

I fear him not — tyrant though he be. 



86 Jacob Leisler 



NICOLLS 

[Starts away melodramatically. 
Then, come on, and we will show this Masaniello *nec 
surdum nee Tiresiam quamquam esse Deorum'! 

[Nicolls and Bayard rush out left. At the 
same moment Leisler and Riggs reappear 
through the gates. Leisler notes the flight of 
Nicolls and Bayardj and gives an inaudible 
order to the sentinel, who goes quickly into 
the Fort, Leisler closing the gates after him. 



PHILIPSE 

Van Cortlandt, I misdoubt this attempt. It is but 
playing Leisler's own game. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

In any event, our skirts are clear. Sh-h-h! Here he 
comes. 

LEISLER 

[Nodding stiffly to Van Cortlandt and Phil- 
ipse, as he and Riggs approach them. 
Mr. Riggs, you know these gentlemen. They were 
members of King James's Council for New York, 



Jacob Leisler 87 



VAN CORTLANDT 



And, we trust, still hold such positions under the proc- 
lamation of his gracious Majesty, King William, con- 
tinuing all officers in their employments until his royal 
pleasure may be further known. 



RIGGS 



[As he produces a document bearing a huge 

wax seal. 
I understand, gentlemen, that you pretend to posses- 
sion of this letter from his Majesty? 



VAN CORTLANDT 

We do — assuredly. 

RIGGS 

It hath grave import. Hear the King's words: 

[Opening and reading from the document. 
'We do hereby authorize you to take upon you the gov- 
ernment of our Province of New York.' 



VAN CORTLANDT 

So this letter makes whoever gets it Leftenant-Gov- 
ernor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province? 



Jacob Leisler 



RIGGS 

Just that — until his Majesty formally appoints a new 
Governor. When I left England it was said at court 
that Colonel Henry Sloughter will be sent, with Ma- 
jor Richard Ingoldsby to command his troops. Col. 
Sloughter's friends have the King's ear. 



PHILIPSE 

How is the King's letter addressed? 



RIGGS 
[Readinff. 
Thus runs the superscription: 'To our trusty and 
well-beloved Francis Nicholson, Esqre., our Leften- 
ant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of our Prov- 
ince of New York in America [significantly] and in 
his absence to such as for the time being take care for 
Preserving the Peace and administring the Lawes in 
our said Province of New York in America.' 



PHILIPSE 

Leftenant-Governor Nicholson deputed us to act in his 
absence. So the letter is ours. 



Jacob Leisler 89 



RIGGS 

But it is addressed, in his absence, to such as administer 
the laws. Have you done that? 

VAN CORTLANDT 

We have been ready and anxious to do so, Sir, but 
have been prevented. 

LEISLER 

Who has prevented you? 

VAN CORTLANDT 

You have! 

LEISLER 

No, not old Jacob Leisler, but the people of New 
York, who thought it not seemly that the officers of a 
popish king should act for Protestant William. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Captain Leisler, the people of New York do not gov- 
ern the people of New York — and King William 
would be last to say so. 

LEISLER 

But Nicholson has told the King who governs here — 
and the King directs his letter accordingly. 



90 Jacob Leisler 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Then why did he not put your name on it ? 

LEISLER 

I don't know, Stephanus. Maybe he thought you 
would be in command here by the time Mr. Riggs 
arrived — but your name is not on it, neither. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Your authority is disputed by the best people of the 
Province. 

LEISLER 

It has been acknowledged by King William's govern- 
ments at Hartford and Boston, and is disputed in New 
York only by Jacobite rascals like yourself. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

I am no Jacobite, nor rascal, neither, and your zeal 
for King William is only a cloak for your insolent 
tyranny. 

LEISLER 

Stephanus, I will pray God to pardon your sins — and 
damn your impudence. 



Jacob Leisler 91 



PHILIPSE 

Even the rabble has turned against you, if what I hear 
of the riot at the Stadt Haus is true. 

[The murmur of a crowd in angry discussion 
begins to be heard. 

LEISLER 

Some of the rabble, Frederick, object to paying taxes 
to defend the country against King James's dear Cana- 
dian friends — as much zs you objected to giving up the 
taxes that had been collected. And some of the rab- 
ble, Frederick, are in gaol — and I hope you will take 
warning by their example. 

PHILIPSE 

I speak not for the rabble, Mr. Riggs, but I have dis- 
puted this usurper's right to his Majesty's revenues. 

VOICES FROM WITHOUT 

Down with Governor Dog-Driver! — No more taxes 
to the tyrant ! — Make him bring out his prisoners ! 

VAN CORTLANDT 

It would seem that the rabble is here to speak for 
itself. 



92 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

Maybe for you, too, Stephanus. 

[The crowd bursts in from the left, a disor- 
derly and disreputable-looking mob, armed 
with sticks, stones, pistols, etc., one carrying a 
cooper s adze. Bayard and Nicolls follow and 
slyly incite the mob against Leisler. 

VOICES FROM THE CROWD 

[With clumsy brandishing of weapons. 
There he is, the tyrant! — Deacon Jailer, we've come 
for your prisoners. — Hey, you, Lef tenant Blockhead! 
— No more Leisler taxes! 

LEISLER 

^Advancing to meet them, and raising his hand 
for silence, while Van Cortlandt and Philipse 
withdraw Riggs to the right. 
Stop! 

[The crowd huddles up sullenly. 
Now somebody tell me what you want ! 

VOICES 

We'll pay no more taxes! — ^You are robbing the peo- 
ple! — No more arbitrary taxation! 



Jacob Leisler 93 

LEISLER 

The taxes are not arbitrary. They were voted by the 
General Assembly to carry on the war against the 
French. 

VOICE 

The French won't come here. You want the money 
for yourself, Governor Dog-Driver. 

LEISLER 

Listen to me, you damned rascals and vagabonds ! For 
every pound of the public money spent to defend you 
against the French, I have spent another pound of my 
own money. 

VOICES 

It's a lie! — Knock him down! — Kill the Dog-Driver! 
— Give up your prisoners ! — I want my brother out of 
gaol! 

LEISLER 

[Pointing to the last speaker. 
You'll join your brother in gaol, Abraham Kip, before 
you get him out. 

[Pointing out Bayard^ who has stolen around 
between Leisler and the gates of the Fort. 
And you'll go with him, Nicholas Bayard. 



94 Jacob Leisler 

BAYARD 

I think not, Governor Dog-Driver. Readj^ men! 

[The mob stirs, ready to attack, raising its 
weapons. 

LEISLER 

[Calling. 
Now, Abraham, come on! 

BAYARD 

[As he and others of the moh place their hacks 
against the gates to hold thein shut. 
You'll get no help from the Fort, Governor Dog- 
Driver. Down with him, men! 

GOUVERNEUR 

[Loudly, without. 
Scale the gates! 

[The inilitianien without give an answering 
cheer, and several swarm after Gouverneur 
and Milborne over the tops of the gates. 
Meanwhile, the moh has made a savage rush 
at Leisler, surrounding him, and striking at 
him with their weapons, the man with the adze 
being particularly in evidence. Leisler de- 
fends himself with his sword with cool alert- 
ness, whirling swiftly about and fighting his 



Jacob Leisler 95 

way hack toward the gates. Milborne has 
engaged Bayard in a rapier duel, while Gouv- 
erneur opens the gates, admitting other militia- 
men, with whom he pursues the moh, now 
fleeing in all directions. Milborne disarms 
Bayard. 

BAYARD 

Don't murder a disarmed man! 



MILBORNE 

[His sword at Bayard's throat. 
Evil-doers shall be cut off, saith the Psalmist. 



LEISLER 

Spare him, Jacob! He will look good with a chain 

around his leg. 

[Milborne sheathes his sword, and takes a 
grip on Bayard's collar. Gouverneur and his 
militiamen return from various directions with 
Nicolls and other prisoners. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Mr. Nicolls, Captain, and others of the mob taken 
prisoner. 



g6 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

We shall have to enlarge our gaol, Abraham. 

[Loud concerted groan from all the prisoners. 
Well, Mr. Riggs, do you think there is any doubt now 
about who takes care for preserving the peace and 
administering the laws here? 

RIGGS 

No, Commander Leisler. The King's letter belongs 
to you and makes you Leftenant-Governor — until 
Sloughter comes. 

[Handing him the letter. 
Take it! 

GOUVERNEUR 

Now then, everybody, — Hip, hip, huzzay for King 
William's Governor Leisler! 

MILITIA 

[With a roar. 
Hip, hip, huzzay for King William's Governor Leis- 
ler! 

[ The prisoners groan dismally, all together, as 

before. 



ACT III 

A room of the Governor s house in the Fort, the 
night of March ig, i6gi. Dutch interior, so??ibre 
effect, with decoration of arms and oil portraits of 
Dutch governors on the walls. There is a wide tiled 
fireplace at the left (no jambs), in which a fire is 
burning. The door at the hack is divided horizontally 
in the middle, showing the customary stoop without. 
There are wide, low windows on either side of it. 
Dimly seen through the door and windows at the 
hack is the interior of the Fort, the church, etc. There 
is a door at the right, leading to Leislers private apart- 
m.ents. There are chairs and a table with lighted 
candles at the right front. Leislers belt, sword and 
pistols are hanging beside the fireplace. 

Cobus is writing at the table fronting you, his head 
carelessly bandaged, a pair of pistols lying on the table 
before him. He is lighted by a red glow from the fire- 
place. Gouverneur appears at the rear door, the 
upper half of which is open. He looks in, and, seeing 
Cobus, knocks lightly. Failing to attract attention, he 
enters, and lays his hand on his friend's shoulder. 
Cobus snatches up his pistols and, springing to his feet, 
levels them at Gouverneur. 

97 



98 Jacob Leisler 

COBUS 
[Lauffhinff. 
A thousand pardons, Abraham! I thought, for the 
moment, Major Ingoldsby had taken the Fort. Has 
he made any attack since I left the wall? 

GOUVERNEUR 

No, he has withdrawn all but a sentinel or two, but 
there is a great crowd and much shouting at the Stadt 
Haus, and boats have been passing to and from the 
ship arrived at the Narrows. 

COBUS 

Can it be that Governor Sloughter has arrived at last ? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Indeed, I hope so. It was most unfortunate his ship 
was parted at sea from those bringing Major Ingoldsby 
and the King's soldiers, and forced to put in at the 
Bermudas for repairs. 

COBUS 

Yes, for when Ingoldsby arrived six weeks ago our 
enemies were swift to prevail upon him to demand the 
release of Bayard and Nicolls, and to attack the Fort 
when its possession was refused him. 



Jacob Leisler 99 



GOUVERNEUR 



He is a soldier — commissioned only to obey the King 
and the Governor of New York. Why, without or- 
ders from either, has he attacked the acting Governor 
of New York? 

COBUS 

I was but just framing another letter for father to 
Governor Sloughter at the Bermudas, protesting 
against Major Ingoldsby's attack, and beseeching him 
to hasten hither. 

GOUVERNEUR 

How are the poor fellows shot in Tuesday's assault? 

COBUS 

All will recover, the chirurgeon saith. But I hear 
Ingoldsby had two men killed by the premature dis- 
charge of a cannon. 

GOUVERNEUR 

And your own wound? 

COBUS 

It smarts a little — the rascal's aim was good. 



loo Jacob Leisler 

GOUVERNEUR 

I am neglecting my errand; a woman at the sallyport 
asks admission and speech with you. 

COBUS 

With me? Who is she? 

GOUVERNEUR 

She refuses to give her name, or her business, except 
that it is a matter of life and death. She is masked 
and much perturbed. 

COBUS 

A spy for Ingoldsby, think you? Or perhaps a man 
in woman's dress? 

GOUVERNEUR 

She wears Ingoldsby's white badge on her sleeve. 

COBUS 

Bring her in blindfolded, and I will take care of her 
— whatever her mission! 

GOUVERNEUR 

I will have a guard at the door. 

[Gouverneur goes out. Cobus picks up his pis- 
tols, assures himself they are loaded, examines 



Jacob Leisler ioi 

the priming, then replaces them carefully on 
the table. He then glances over the letter he 
has been writing, makes a correction or two, 
and is thus engaged when Miss Livingston 
(masked, blindfolded, and with a white hand 
on her left arm) appears at the rear door with 
a guard, who removes the blindfold and opens 
the lower half of the door for her. 



COBUS 

You may enter, Madam. 

[She comes in hesitatingly, looks about the 
room in trepidation, then closes both the lower 
and upper halves of the door, and advances 
slowly toward Cobus. 



COBUS 

[Laying his hand upon a pistol. 
Now, Madam, who are you, and what is your affair? 

[Miss Livingston removes her mask. 
Miss Livingston — is it possible ! 



MISS LIVINGSTON' 

No, quite impossible, I assure you. 



I02 Jacob Leisler 

COB us 

How have we earned so much honor? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I come to warn you that your sweet William's new 
Governor is here. 

COBUS 

Thank God — we are saved! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

No ; he is closeted with your enemies, and he is a weak 
man. 

COBUS 

They cannot discredit my father's loyalty to the King. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Then they will hang him on some other pretext. 

COBUS 

How will they justify Major Ingoldsby's bloody as- 
sault upon the Fort? 



Jacob Leisler 103 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Think you the new Governor will not credit his crea- 
ture's report? As for 'bloody assaults,' I like not the 
way you have yon bandage placed. Seat yourself, 
Master Cobus! 

[Cobus sits, and Miss Livingston readjusts the 

bandage on his head, humming the air of 

'When the King Enjoys His Own Again.' 

Red firelight on the group. 

I may be hanged, too, for rendering aid and comfort 

to the enemy, but — that is easier, is it not? 



COBUS 

Oh, vastly! But, indeed, you do run much risk in 
coming thus to the Fort. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

For your sister's sake. Master Cobus. 

COBUS 

[Indicating door at the right. 
She is at hand and would fain greet you. 



104 Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

No, I have had no heart to look upon her face since 
her marriage to that canting mischief-maker Milborne 
a month ago. 

COBUS 

He is an austere man, but devoted to my father's 
cause. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[With asperity. 
He is a grasping and revengeful marplot. But for his 
arrogance and misrule the massacre of Schenectady 
had not occurred and the expedition against Canada 
had not failed. So this marriage, from which your 
father expected so much, hath wrecked both his cause 
and your sister's life — to say nothing of poor Master 
Gouverneur. 

COBUS 

Alas, Madam, if my sister hath laid her heart upon the 
altar of duty, no one knows better how to pity her 
than I! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Master Cobus, if I were not here on serious business, 
my head would be turned quite by your flattering 
speeches. 

[As he starts toward her, she continues coldly: 



Jacob Leisler 105 

But this Is no time for flattering speeches, Sir, with our 
families at war. 

[Cobus stops abashed J and she goes on very 
sweetly : 
And yet, ever since you saved my life, I have felt 

\^He again becomes hopeful. 
that your conduct hath been much too presumptuous, 
Sir. 

[Cobus in despair again, while his tormentress 
keeps on with her cat-and-mouse play. 
But my affection for your sister makes me ready to 
forgive 

\^He revives. 
anything short of your bold and arrogant demeanor. 

[^Cobus is down again. 
Still, your manifest partiality for my society moves me 
to tell you 

\He falls upon his knees before her. 
that you must never see my face again 

\Cobus desperate. 
unless I permit you, of course. 



COBUS 

[Seizing her hands. 
Madam, madam, you know I love you ! Have mercy ! 



io6 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

[jWithdrawing her hands. 
Never, never, never! 

[Milborne suddenly pushes open the upper half 
of the rear door, recognizes the situation, and 
strides sternly down upon the culprits. 

MILBORNE 

What means this mummery? 

[Co bus springs to his feet, and Miss Livingston 
recoils, replacing her mask. 

COBUS 

Major Milborne, this lady is here to give us friendly 
warning that our enemies have the ear of the newly 
arrived Governor. 

MILBORNE 

We need no gifts from the Greeks, nor advice from a 
Livingston. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Removing her mask. 
Rest assured, Sir, it was not you I sought to save from 
the ruin wrought by your folly and presumption ! 



Jacob Leisler 107 



MILBORNE 



Silence, you shameless termagant! You bring your 
Delilah arts to beguile this foolish boy into betraying 
us. I arrest you as a spy. 



COBUS 



[Hotly, as he takes up his pistols. 
Major Milborne, you forget yourself! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Very quietly. 
Oh, no, Brother Barebones, I am not here as a spy — 
but for reasons quite as good as your own. 

MILBORNE 

I am no solver of riddles, Madam. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Goes to Cobus, and places her arms about his 
neck. 
You have married into the family — and I am going to. 

MILBORNE 

[Aghast. 
I am grievously afflicted to hear it. 



io8 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

I hoped you would be — and I'll take care you don't 
change your mind. 

MILBORNE 

Does your father know of this — misfortune? 

COBUS 

[Very happy j a^ he holds Miss Livingston close. 
Not yet ! 

MILBORNE 

Well, he shall — at once — and we'll see how your fool's 
paradise fares when he hears he has a traitor in the 
family. 

[Milborne slams angrily outj right. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Struggling to free herself the moment Mil- 
borne is gone. 
Unhand me, Sir! 

COBUS 

[Kissing her repeatedly, despite her resistance. 
'Never, never, never!' 



Jacob Leisler 109 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Trying to be indignant. 
Surely you mistook not my ruse to escape arrest? 

COBUS 

[Holding her tightly. 
No mistake in the world, dear Joanna. Your arms 
outvote your tongue two to one. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Hiding her face on his shoulder. 
But can't you see that my eyes are against you, too? 

COBUS 

Why, so they are! 

[Kissing her on the eyes. 
The ayes have it. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

But haven't you some important or daring military 
duty which you are neglecting to hold on to me like 
this? 

COBUS 

Nothing half so important — or so daring. 



no Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Without conviction. 
But I must go — really. 

COBUS 

You are under arrest, you know, but I'll parole you — 
on one condition. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 
[Faintly. 
What condition — Cobus? 

COBUS 

That you kiss me — just once — in confirmation of what 
you told Major Milborne. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Think you truly it would afflict Brother Barebones so 
sorely ? 

COBUS 

Oh, it's most certain! He'll probably quit the 
Province. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Zounds, nothing else sh'd move me to 't, but 

[She kisses hiin conclusively. 
there now! 



Jacob Leisler hi 

[She tears away from him in a panic, and runs 
out, he following. Milborne returns, looks 
about the room in disappoint?nent ; picks up 
the mask dropped by Miss Livingston, and 
throws it into the fire; glances scornfully 
over the letter left by Cobus on the table, 
tears it up, and scatters the pieces; and is pac- 
ing back and forth in vindictive unrest when 
Gouverneur comes in by the rear door. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Major Milborne, it is confirmed that Governor 
Sloughter hath arrived. 

{Their colloquy is swift and brusque, each 
showing his dislike for the other. 

MILBORNE 

We know that already. What more? 

GOUVERNEUR 

He was met and brought to the Stadt Haus by Van 
Cortlandt and other our enemies, and there read 
his commission and took oath of office. 

MILBORNE 

And then? 



112 Jacob Leisler 



GOUVERNEUR 



Then Van Cortlandt, Philipse, Minvielle, Dudley, 
WfUett and Pinhorn were sworn members of his 
Council. 



MILBORNE 



All our sworn foes as well, perdition catch them! 
What do they now? 



GOUVERNEUR 



When my messenger came away, the Governor was 
shut up with these Councillors and Major Ingoldsby. 

MILBORNE 

Then we shall hear from him betimes. Have you 
notified all this to the Commander-in-Chief? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Yes, and he has sent Ensign StoU to make sure the 
new Governor is Sloughter. 

MILBORNE 

Fool, fool! 

GOUVERNEUR 

You mean StoU? 



Jacob Leisler 113 

MILBORNE 

I said 'fool' twice — do not tempt me to say it a third 
time! 

GOUVERNEUR 

[Advancing upon Milborne menacingly. 
You have no warrant, Sir, for such a word touching 
either the Commander or me ! 

[Mary appears timidly at right. Milborne 
confronts Gouverneur, as if about to make 
angry reply; then, seeing Mary, addresses her 
with sharp impatience. 

MILBORNE 

Well, what Ho you want? 

MARY 

I want my father. 

MILBORNE 

What for? 

MARY . 

Little Francina is ill and keeps calling for him. 

MILBORNE 

He is beset with public cares, and has no time for sick 
children. Quiet her yourself! 



114 Jacob Leisler 



MARY 

[Humbly but firmly. 
Mother and I have both tried, but she sends us away, 
and will have only her father. 

MILBORNE 

She cannot. Let that suffice! 

MARY 

But her fever keeps rising, and there is grave danger. 

MILBORNE 

Then give her a sleeping potion ! 

MARY 

But her father 

MILBORNE 

Go back and do as I bid you! 

[During this interchange Gouverneur shows 
that he is making a supreme effort to restrain 
himself, and, at Milborne's last command, he 
reaches the limit of his endurance, and darts 
out. As Mary turns slowly toward her door, 
Milborne continues: 



Jacob Leisler 115 



MILBORNE 

So you are ready to go — now that Mr. Gouverneur is 
no longer here to pity you ! 

[She looks at him a moment in dumb anguish, 
bursts into tears, and again starts to go. 
Stay, I would have further speech with you touching 
this young Gouverneur! 

\L,eisler comes in hurriedly from the rear. 

Mary rushes to him, and falls into his arms. 

MARY 

Oh, father, poor little Francina is worse, and [sob- 
bing^ she keeps calling for you, and we can't comfort 
her, and 

LEISLER 

[Throwing his hat into a corner. 
Yes, yes, yes, I know — Abraham has told me. Don't 
you cry, Mary ! [Pushing her toward the right. ^ Tell 
Francina vater will come to her in one minute! 

[Mary goes quickly. 

MILBORNE 

Governor Sloughter's affair can wait, I suppose, while 
you trifle with woman's work! 



ii6 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 



Sloughter can go to hell — and take you with him — 
when my baby calls me. 

MILBORNE 

With the father playing nurse, and the son consorting 
with the enemy, the country bids fair to go, too. 

LEISLER 
\S tar tied. 
What's that? Cobus 'consorting with the enemy'? 

MILBORNE 

I found him here but now in dalliance with that brazen 

Livingston huzzy. 

LEISLER 

What did she want here? 

MILBORNE 

Oh, her pretext was to warn us that our enemies have 
beguiled the new Governor. 

LEISLER 

I am afraid that is true — Gouverneur makes the same 
report. 



Jacob Leisler 117 

MILBORNE 

Bah, it was a trick to betray us! But when I oflEered 
to arrest her as a spy, she threw herself upon your son 
and made threat to marry him. 

LEISLER 

[Secretly pleased, but willing to placate Mil- 
borne. 
Robert Livingston's sister — threatened — to marry — 
Cobus ? 

[Milborne nods. 
Jacob, I don't wonder you lose your temper. 

[Holding out his hand. 
Forgive me, I was unjust to you! 

MILBORNE 

But what are you going to do about it? 

LEISLER 

[Slowly, remembering Milborne's ozun case. 
Well, Jacob, I think I will not interfere some more 
in this love business. Maybe she was only joking when 
she made that threat to marry Cobus. Her bark is 
worse than her bite. 

[Joost Stoll dawns stolidly at the back door. 



ii8 Jacob Leisler 

Ach, Stoll, you saw the new Governor — is he Slough- 
ter for sure? 

STOLL 

[Comes in solemnly, enjoying his own impor- 
tance. 
You commanded me to go. I went. I am here. 

LEISLER 

Yes, yes, but did you see him? 

STOLL 

You sent Ensign Joost Stoll because he is the only man 
in Fort William who has ever seen Governor Slough- 
ter in England, and can truly report to you whether 
he is come. 

LEISLER 

I know that. Has he come ? 

STOLL 

[Looking reproachfully at Milborne. 
Some people say Ensign Joost Stoll is a fool, but the 
Commander-in-Chief of this Province knows he can 
trust Ensign Joost Stoll. 



Jacob Leisler 119 



LEISLER 

[Taking Stoll by the shoulders and shaking 
him. 
JVill you answer my question? 

STOLL 

You sent me to England 

LEISLER 

I sent you to the Stadt Haus. Did you see Slaughter 
there? 

STOLL 

I am coming to that. I went to the Stadt Haus 

{^Pause. 

LEISLER 

And saw Sloughter? 

STOLL 

I went to the Stadt Haus, and there was a great crowd 
there, and a guard of red-coats, and they didn't want 
to admit me, but when I told them I was Ensign 
Joost Stoll, come from Commander-in-Chief Jacob 
Leisler, with a message for Governor Sloughter— — 

LEISLER 

Did you deliver that message? 



120 Jacob Leisler 

STOLL 

I went to the Sloughter Haus 



LEISLER 

[His sword-point at StoH's breast. 
You will go to the slaughter-house this instant if you 
don't tell me whether you saw Sloughter! 

STOLL 

Yes, I saw him. 

LEISLER 
What did he say — quick! 

STOLL 

He was irreverent to me, for when I told him I was 
glad he was the same man I had seen in England, he 
answered, mighty high-and-mighty, 'Yes, I have been 
seen in England, and intend now to be seen in New 
York.' 

LEISLER 

But brings he no letters or orders to me from the 
King? 

STOLL 

No, he says the King does not even know your name. 



Jacob Leisler 121 

LEISLER 

Not a word from the King to Jacob Leisler? 

STOLL 

Not a word — either to you or to me — and I kissed his 
hand! 

LEISLER 

[Crestfallen. 
That looks bad, Jacob. 

STOLL 

When I was in England 



LEISLER 

Go to bed, Stoll ! You must be tired. 

[Stoll salutes with virtuous military precision, 
whirls on his heel and goes out. Leisler 
sloivly seats himself beside the table, and buries 
his face in his hands. 
Not — one word — from the King — to old Jacob Leis- 
ler ! He does not — even — know — vay name ! 

MILBORNE 
[Bitterly. 
You had your chance to make him know your name — 
you still have a chance. 



122 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 

[Not heeding Milborne. 
He sends a Governor who makes haste to join hands 
with the traitors who refused to proclaim him ! 

MILBORNE 

Because William is an aristocrat and they are aristo- 
crats. Are you on aristocrat? 

LEISLER 

No thanks for me — not even a place in the Council — 
honors only for my enemies — his enemies ! 

MILBORNE 

Did I not warn you William's favors are for them he 
fears ? 

LEISLER 

And for this I have spent two years fighting these 
friends of King James, these foes of the Protestant 
religion ! 

MILBORNE 

[Vehemently. 
I tell you, Leisler, it is no question of William or 
James, no question of Protestant or Catholic; it is 
question only of those determined to rule and those 



Jacob Leisler 123 

willing to submit. And you are willing — willing to 
let this cold-blooded King overseas send his hireling 
here to set his heel upon your neck, to re-establish 
your enemies in power, to turn the people of New 
York over from the tyranny of James to the tyranny 
of William. 

LEISLER 

No, Jacob, no! It is question of God, who rules us 
all, of God who makes erring kings serve purposes that 
do not err. William may be unjust to me, but I can 
not be disloyal to God — or to him. 

MILBORNE 

And have you no loyalty, no duty, to the people of 
New York, who gave you this charge, who look to 
you to defend their rights against this monstrous con- 
spiracy of kingly prerogative and aristocratic assump- 
tion? 

LEISLER 

What do you wish me to do ? 

MILBORNE 

This, Herr Commander-in-Chief of the Province of 
New York! It is not yet too late to send this Gov- 



124 Jacob Leisler 

ernor Sloughter back to London to tell William the 
people of New York have made you their Governor 
and look to him to confirm their commission. They 
are with you; New England is with you. America 
awaits its own Oliver Cromwell! 



LEISLER 

[Risinff and speaking with solemn earnestness. 
Aber, Jacob, listen to me! I think it is so, what you 
say about America — but the time is not yet. These 
Provinces are too weak to stand alone. They need a 
king over the water to protect them from the other 
kings over the water. And I am no Cromwell — only a 
broken-hearted old man, who will not seek to supplant 
the ruler he has proclaimed — no matter how ungrate- 
ful that ruler may be. 

[Trumpet call and confused shouting without. 
There is a summons at the sallyport. See what they 
want! 

[Milborne goes, and Mary returns, carrying 

Francina in night-dress. 



MARY 

She would come to you. 



Jacob Leisler 125 



LEISLER 

[He rushes and takes the child in his arms, kiss- 
ing and cuddling her. Mary vanishes, content. 
Did poor little sick Francina think her hard-hearted 
old vater never would come? Didn't he know she 
couldn't go to sleep anywheres but in his arms? 

[Feeling first the child's head, then her feet. 
Poor little hot head — poor little cold feet! 

[ Goes to fireplace, and, kneeling before it, holds 
the child's feet out to warm — picture in the 
red firelight. 
How did Sister Mary think Francina could go to sleep 
when her feet was so cold as — as King William's 
heart? Such a foolishness, all this Sloughter business, 
when Francina wants her vater ! 

[Softly and with longer and longer pauses be- 
tween words. 
There, now — little feet are nice and warm — and little 
head — is getting — nice and cool — and little Francina — 
is going — olf to sleep. 

[He rises and paces back and forth, crooning 
a lullaby. Mil borne returns. Leisler places 
his finger on his lips, indicating Francina. 



126 Jacob Leisler 

MILBORNE 

[Low. 
Major Ingoldsby to see you, with a message from 
Sloughter. 

LEISLER 

Bring him in! 

[Milborne goes^ while Leisler continues to pace 
back and forth until his return with Major 
Ingoldsby, in full British uniform, a white 
band on his left arm, blindfolded. Milborne 
leads him to Leisler, and removes the blind- 
fold. 

INGOLDSBY 

[Noting Leisler s employment, with haughty 
disdain. 
Are you Jacob Leisler — or one of his domestics? 

LEISLER 

{With dignity. 
I am Jacob Leisler — at his Majesty's service, and 
yours. 

INGOLDSBY 
{Roaring. 
Then, in his Majesty's name, and by command of 
Governor Sloughter, I demand the instant surrender 



Jacob Leisler 127 

of this Fort, and the release of Col. Bayard and Mr. 
Nfcolls. 

LEISLER 

[Low and menacing. 
Not so loud! If you wake this sick baby, I'll break 
your damned head. 

INGOLDSBY 

Moreover, Governor Sloughter orders you, and such 
as are called your Council, to report yourselves to 
him at the City Hall forthv^^ith. 

LEISLER 

I hold his Majesty's commission as Lef tenant-Gover- 
nor and Commander-in-Chief of this Province. So, I 
have the right to demand his Majesty's order, directed 
to me, for the surrender of his Majesty's Fort. Do 
you bring me such an order ? 

INGOLDSBY 

No. Neither his Majesty nor Governor Sloughter 
take any notice of your pretensions. 

LEISLER 

Jacob, what you think of that, eh? 



128 Jacob Leisler 

MILBORNE 

I think if you surrender the Fort without Governor 
Sloughter's recognition that you have been acting as 
a loyal and authorized guardian of his Majesty's in- 
terests, you confess that all your acts have been un- 
lawful. 

INGOLDSBY 

King William has sent Governor Sloughter here to 
rule this Province. If you heed not his orders, you 
are in treason to his Majesty. 

LEISLER 

That's a nice pickle! If I don't surrender the Fort, 
I am a damned traitor; if I do surrender the Fort, I 
am a damned fool! [Considers a moment^ I will 
think some more about that surrender business — and 
see what my Council says. 

[His mind made up. 
Jacob, go you with Mayor De La Noy, and pay my 
respects to Governor Sloughter! Show him my com- 
mission from King William and from the people of 
New York. Say I am ready to turn the government 
over to him, and beg him not to lend himself to the 
stroke of my enemies, who are wishing to cause me 
some mistakes at the end of my long and faithful serv- 
ice to my gracious King and Queen, 



Jacob Leisler 129 



INGOLDSBY 



But what answer do you make to his demand for the 
immediate surrender of this Fort? 



LEISLER 

This answer, Major Ingoldsby — and, as a soldier, you 
ought to know it is a good answer — by military law, 
no fort can be surrendered in the night-time ! 

INGOLDSBY 

\Whirling angrily on his heel. 
You shall hear from us shortly as to that. 
[Starts to go. 

MILBORNE 

Not without your blindfold, Sir! 

[He replaces the blindfold over Ingoldsby's 
eyes with discourteous roughnesSj then leads 
him away with a jerk. 

LEISLER 

[To child, held in his arms during the preced- 
ing scene. 
However did Francina sleep through all that hurly- 
burly ? 

[Looking at her sharply. 



130 Jacob Leisler 

Oho, she isn't asleep! Why, you make-believe, Fran- 
cina, to fool old vater? 

[Bending his ear down to catch her whispered 
reply. 
'Because you was 'fraid of big red-mans.' Do you 
think vater would let big red-mans hurt little Fran- 
cina? 

[Cuddling the child closer j and resuming his 
march to and fro. 
Now, this time, Francina must go to sleep for sure, 
because it is two, three, maybe four o'clock, and pretty 
soon old Fort rooster begin to crow, when nobody can 
sleep. 

[Hums lullaby softly for a turn or twOj thenj 
half to himself: 
Poor little Francina — to think old vater neglect his 
babins for a king away off yonder who sends him no 
word of thanks for all his faithful service, for all the 
money, time and love he has given, for all the bitter 
enemies he has made — for a king who does not even 
know his name! 

[Gently kisses the child's hand. 
But don't you mind that, Francina! Maybe now, 
after these two years of shedding blood and tears for 
a king who rather be served some other way, Jacob 
Leisler may be given the reward to go back to his 



Jacob Leisler 131 

own family and his own affairs. If King William 
doesn't need him any longer, you need him always! 

\_A second trumpet summons is heard, and 
confused voices without. Leisler listens a mo- 
mentj looks at the child to make sure she is 
asleepj then tiptoes gently out right. The 
room is left vacant a moment during which 
the trumpet call and tumult are renewed and 
become more insistent. Then Gouverneur 
comes hastily from the rear, looking about 
anxiously. Leisler returns. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Major Ingoldsby at the sallyport again, Sir, with all 
his force, threatening to assault the Fort unless it is 
surrendered instantly. 

LEISLER 

Have Milborne and De La Noy come back? 

GOUVERNEUR 

No. Ingoldsby says Sloughter refused them audience 
and had them haled ofE to gaol. 

LEISLER 

[ Thunderstruck. 
A-bra-ham! 



132 Jacob Leisler 

GOUVERNEUR 

I fear it is true, Sir. 

LEISLER 

Do our militiamen show any white feathers? 

GOUVERNEUR 

They are mad to fight Ingoldsby. Not a man of the 
whole three hundred but would lay down his life for 
you. 

LEISLER 

Where is Cobus? 

GOUVERNEUR 

With his men at the Half-Moon battery. 

LEISLER 

[His resolution taken. 
SacrementI Come, we'll go on, we'll go on, and show 
this Governor Sloughter whether he can abuse King 
William's authority to please King William's enemies ! 
Send the men to the parapets and see they all have 
their pikes! Load all the cannon with musket-balls j 
and double the guard at the sallyport. 

[Gouverneur starts to go. 
But, Abraham — not a shot must be fired until they 
begin. 



Jacob Leisler 133 



GOUVERNEUR 

[Turns at the door as a renewed trumpet call 
is heard. 
What shall I tell Ingoldsby? 

LEISLER 

Tell him to go to — '[checks himself^ bed! 

[Gouverneur luhirls away. Leisler rushes to 
the fireplace, takes down his belt, sword and 
pistols, and hastily puts them on. Putting 
his hand to his head, he discovers his hat is 
missing, and looks about for it in haste, finally 
rescuing it from the corner where he had 
thrown it. A moment or two after Gouver- 
neur s exit, a roll of drums is heard without, 
then a confused uproar, and finally shouts of 
'Leisler, Leisler, Leisler!' Mary reappears at 
her door. 

MARY 

What is it, father? 

LEISLER 

Mary, there is going to be another battle. We have 
to show these red-coats how Dutchmen and French- 
men can fight when nothing else will do. Keep away 
from the windows, all of you; lock the doors; tell 



134 Jacob Leisler 

mother to trust in God — and don't forget to give Fran- 
cina her medicine! 

[The third trumpet call is heard without. The 
light from the fireplace dies down, and early 
morning effect is seen through the door and 
windows at rear, growing stronger as the 
action progresses. 
There goes Ingoldsby's last summons — he will open 
fire next. 

[Holding out his arms, into which she rushes. 
And if old vater shouldn't see you any more, remem- 
ber always his heart is full of gratefulness for all you 
did for him — and of grief for all it cost you! Now 
go — quick ! 

[Mary does so. Gouverneur comes back. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Major Ingoldsby once more, Sir, with a message of 
peace from Governor Sloughter. 

LEISLER 

In God's name, bring him in ! 

[Gouverneur goes. Leisler lays aside his hat 
and extinguishes the candles — it is now broad 
daylight. Groans and execrations are heard 
without as Gouverneur returns with In- 
goldsby. 



Jacob Leisler 135 



INGOLDSBY 



Captain Leisler, it is now daylight, so your objection 
to surrender the Fort in the night no longer holds good. 
Governor Sloughter and members of his Council ask 
permission to confer with you about the matter here. 



LEISLER 



Am I to understand that Governor Sloughter agrees to 
treat me as he ought an official ready to give him an 
exact account of all his actions and conduct? 



INGOLDSBY 

I can assure you he will treat you exactly as you 
ought to be treated. 

LEISLER 

That is all I ask. Abraham, go to the sallyport, admit 
Governor Sloughter and his Council and bring them 
here. [Gouverneur salutes and departs] You see, 
Major, all this trouble and bloodshed might have been 
avoided if you had shown me any order from the King 
to surrender the Fort to you. I don't think you had 
such an order, and without it you were subject to my 
commands — not I to yours. 



136 Jacob Leisler 



INGOLDSBY 

All of which you will do better to certify to his Ex- 
cellency. 

[Pere Millet comes in from the rear. 

LEISLER 

[Gayly. 
Aha, mon ami, vous arrivez de bonne heure! Major 
Ingoldsby, here is one of my prisoners who has made 
me captive — Pere Millet, Major. 

[^Pere Millet bows with grave courtesy: In- 
goldsby takes no notice of the introduction. 
He is a black-robe Papist, and a subject of Louis XIV, 
but I think he is quite so like to go to heaven as that 
old rogue. Dominie Selyns, that Dutch-Frenchman and 
Protestant upholder of King James. 

PERE MILLET 

My son, I shall to thank le bon Dieu if he have 
let me show you it is not need the black robe shall 
cover the black heart. 

[Leisler goes to Pere Millet and takes his hand. 
Gouverneur returns, escorting in Van Cort- 
landt and PhilipsCj then Sloughter, a red-faced, 
dissipated-looking man, somewhat past middle 



Jacob Leisler 137 

age, wearing the uniform of a British colonel. 
All have white bands on their left arms. 
They go to Ingoldsby. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Lef tenant-Governor Leisler, this is Governor Slough- 
ter. 

LEISLER 

{Goes to Sloughter and offers his hand. 
Your Excellency must pardon that I have not taken 
earlier occasion to bid you welcome, but the Major 
here has made it rather difficult to leave the Fort. 

SLOUGHTER 

[Haughtily ignoring Leisler s hand. 
Are you now ready to leave the Fort? 

LEISLER 
[Nettled. 
Yes — if you are ready to receive it from me as one 
officer of King William accepts the charge of King 
William's property from another officer of King Wil- 
liam. 

SLOUGHTER 

Why do you seek to make terms with me, Sir? 



138 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

Because you have listened only to my enemies — because 
you have imprisoned members of my Council sent to 
you. It does not so much matter what becomes of 
old Jacob Leisler, but the people of New York gave 
me this command, and I must be sure the people of 
New York do not suffer because I lay it down. 

SLOUGHTER 

You are disloyal, Sir. The Lords and Commons of 
England choose their own rulers — the people of New 
York do not. 

LEISLER 

Not so fast, Governor Sloughter ! The people of New 
York had to choose between the officers of a king 
who had deserted his throne and rulers of their own. 
And King William himself approved their action by 
his letter confirming my authority. So it is you who 
are disloyal to his Majesty when you undertake to 
discredit me to please King James's followers. 

SLOUGHTER 

This is trifling. Sir. Your position is as untenable in 
fact as it is in theory. I have two companies of 



Jacob Leisler 139 

English grenadiers, and the man-of-war Archangel to 
back up my demand for instant possession of this Fort. 

LEISLER 

[Gravely. 
When it comes to that. Sir, I have here a garrison of 
nearly four hundred burghers, mad to fight your red- 
coats, and stores of ammunition and provisions to stand 
a siege. And v^^hen your attack begins you vuill find ten 
men outside the Fort for every one inside it ready to 
resist you. 

SLOUGHTER 

[Startled and taking a more moderate tone. 
But these gentlemen tell me the people are not all on 
your side. 

LEISLER 

No, not quite all. There are a few rascals in New 
York as well as in old England. But how will his 
Majesty like that you begin your rule here with a 
civil war — especially when you get the worst of it? 

SLOUGHTER 

[In a crestfallen whisper to Van Cortlandt and 
Philipse. 
Zounds, gentlemen, I fear the fellow has us on the 
hip! 



I40 Jacob Leisler 

[They nod assent. 
Well, Captain Leisler, just what do you ask me to do? 



LEISLER 

I have already told you — I ask to be treated as one of 
King William's loyal governors who surrenders his 
charge to another. I ask you to release Major Mil- 
borne and Mayor De La Noy, to treat my Council, 
and the other people of the Province who have sup- 
ported me, as faithful subjects of his Majesty, and to 
permit my garrison to retain their own arms, sur- 
rendering only what belongs to the King. 



SLOUGHTER 

And if I do all this, will you march out of the Fort 
and turn over your authority, stores and prisoners 
to me? 

LEISLER 

Most gladly. 

SLOUGHTER 

Then I accept your proposition — subject to the ap- 
proval of my Council, of course. What say you, gen- 
tlemen — this is the wisest course, is it not ? 



Jacob Leisler 141 



VAN CORTLANDT 

[Low. 
For the present — yes, your Excellency. 



PHILIPSE 

[Low. 
Yes, for the present. 

SLOUGHTER 

Then we may consider the matter settled, and I should 
like you to give the necessary orders at once. 

LEISLER 

Abraham, order the Captains to withdraw their men 
from the parapets, form by companies and march out 
to the Bowling Green, where they will salute the new 
garrison as it enters the Fort. Beg them to give the 
new Governor the same loyal support they have given 
me, and [with emotion] tell them Jacob Leisler thanks 
them with all his heart for the devotion they have 
given the old man who now so gladly lays down the 
burden of care there is no longer need for him to bear ! 
Go yourself and release Col. Bayard and Mr. Nicolls 
and bring them here. 

[Gouverneur departs on this errand. 



142 Jacob Leisler 



SLOUGHTER 

Major Ingoldsby, you will march your force into the 

Fort as soon as it is vacated. 

[Inffoldsby saluteSj and starts to go, when he is 
detained for a moment's whispered conversa- 
tion by Van Cortlandt and Philipse. There 
are sounds of angry protest without, then 
drum-taps diminuendo, as of troops marching 
away. Leisler listens a moment, then to 
Slaughter: 

LEISLER 

You hear those rascals? They have held the Fort so 
long they think it belongs to them. And then — maybe 
you don't know those pig-head Dutchmen? — they 
didn't want to fight when first the Major fired on the 
Fort — and now they don't want to quit ! 



SLOUGHTER 

[To Van Cortlandt and Philipse. 
I wonder not you murmur, gentlemen, having a so 
turbulent rabble to reckon with. 

\^To Leisler, indicating Pere Millet. 
Who is this person, and what is he doing here? 



Jacob Leisler 1431 



LEISLER 

I beg your Excellency will pardon my neglect. Venez 
ici, mon ami! This is Pere Millet, a French priest, 
taken prisoner by our Indians while he was praying 
with a sick squaw. I thought he was a spy for Fron- 
tenac, but I find he is only a spy for God, so I recom- 
mend that your Excellency send him back to France — 
there is really no charge against him. 

[Gouverneur returns j followed by Bayard and 
Nicollsj unkempt, haggard, and hatless. Gouv- 
erneur indicates his chargeSj salutes Leisler, 
and again departs. 



SLOUGHTER 

He seems to have enjoyed more liberty than some of 
your other prisoners. 

LEISLER 

Liberty, your Excellency, is for honest men, not for 
rogues such as — permit me to introduce Col. Bayard 
and Mr. Nicolls ! 

SLOUGHTER 

I am gratified to meet you, gentlemen, and to rescue 
you from your unhappy situation. 



144 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 



We are humbly grateful to your Excellency for deliv- 
erance from this barbarous, bloody-minded tyrant. 



NICQLLS 

And trust no mistaken clemency, no legal quibble, may 
save his neck from the halter. Lex dubia non obltgat. 

[Bayard and Nicolls are warmly greeted by 
Van Cortlandt and Philipse, with whom they 

exchange excited whispers. 



LEISLER 

When it comes to hanging, your Excellency will note 
that if I had been the bloody-minded tyrant these ras- 
cals say — they veould not be here to say it. 



SLOUGHTER 

Gentlemen, gentlemen, I must fain cry, with Mercu- 
tio, 'A plague o' both your houses!' A truce to recrimi- 
nation ! Captain Leisler has surrendered the Fort and 
I have agreed to treat him as his Majesty's officer. 
What more? 



Jacob Leisler 145 



BAYARD 

This, your Excellency ! Your agreement with Captain 
Leisler was made subject to the approval of your Coun- 
cil. I am told that I and Mr. Nicolls are named 
members of your Council by his Majesty, and we de- 
mand that this fellow be tried for his crimes. 

LEISLER 

[To Slaughter J astounded. 
Bayard and Nicolls members of your Council? 

SLOUGHTER 

Such is his Majesty's command. But I do not see how 
that affects my agreement. 

PHILIPSE 

Your Excellency's agreement was based on the pre- 
sumption that Captain Leisler had been loyal to King 
William. Col. Bayard and Mr. Nicolls bring new 
evidence that he was in treason to his Majesty. 

SLOUGHTER 
\Sharply. 
What evidence? 

[The subsequent accusations against Leisler 
are rehearsed with breathless haste. 



146 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 

Evidence that he plotted to make himself king of his 
Majesty's American Provinces. We have both heard 
him say that if he were not continued Governor, he 
would hold the Fort despite his Majesty. 

NICOLLS 

And that the King is only a servant of his subjects — 
vox populi est vox Dei. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Touching your Excellency's present Councillors, he 
declared that if the King should send three thousand 
such he would cut them all off. 

BAYARD 

Moreover, he kept in pay a pirate to carry him to the 
coast of Guinea upon your arrival. 

NICOLLS 

With hot shot ready to burn the town if you refused 
to treat with him. 

BAYARD 

Saying he had ruled by the sword and would go on so. 



Jacob Leisler 147 



NICOLLS 

And that if he sent for any man's head it would pres- 
ently be brought to him. 

PHILIPSE 

Moreover, he likened himself to King William in 

seizing the command. 

[From without co?ne sounds of distant disturb- 
ance, shouts of 'Rob them!' 'Beat them!' 
'Take their guns away from the rascals.' 

SLOUGHTER 

Hark! What is that disturbance? 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Doubtless a fresh outbreak of the rabble against your 
Excellency's authority. 

SLOUGHTER 

\To Leisler, sternly. 
Well, Sir, what do you reply to these charges? 

LEISLER 

Nothing — I am not on trial. But it may occur to your 
Excellency that I have not made myself king, I have 



148 Jacob Leisler 

not refused to proclaim William and Mary as these 
rascals did, I have not failed to surrender the Fort to 
you, I have not sent for any man's head, I have not 
burnt the town, and I have not run away to Guinea 
with a pirate. 

PERE MILLET 

{Slowly picking out his words. 
If your Excellence deign pardon one little word to a 
prisoner poor, I wish call to attest of Heaven the 
Power Supreme that the Commander Leisler himself 
devotes always to the service of your King. 

{Ingoldsby comes back hurriedly, followed by 
a guard of red-coat soldiers, carrying muskets 
with fixed bayonets. 

INGOLDSBY 

{Impetuously. 
Governor Sloughter, the town is in an uproar, and 
only sharp measures will prevent an open revolt. 

{Gouverneur rushes in and goes to Leisler. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Commander Leisler, our troops were set upon by the 
red-coats as they were marching out of the Fort, and 
vilified, beaten and robbed of their arms. 



Jacob Leisler 149 



INGOLDSBY 

The rabble taunted them to attack us, and I had to 
disarm them to prevent bloodshed. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Our troops were in order, Sir. With my own eyes, I 
saw Major Ingoldsby incite his men to attack them. 

INGOLDSBY 

'Tis false! They began it. 

LEISLER 

Governor Sloughter, you gave me your word that my 
men should be treated as loyal subjects to his Majesty, 
and should be allowed to keep their arms. 

\ INGOLDSBY 

With an armed rabble and this fellow to lead them 
we shall never have peace. 

[Ingoldsby and the Councillors crowd around 
Sloughter and importune him. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Your Council demand his arrest! 



150 Jacob Leisler 

SLOUGHTER 
{Helplessly. 
But my word, gentlemen, my word! 

BAYARD 

Traitors have no right to make terms. 

LEISLER 

[With vehemence. 
Governor Sloughter! 

[The Councillors recoil and Sloughter turns to 
Leisler. 
These men are my enemies. They have hatched this 
plot to destroy me. It is they who are traitors to his 
Majesty, traitors to the people of New York, and 
traitors to youj when they try to make you break your 
word and become their tool and catspaw, the biggest 
traitor of them all! 

INGOLDSBY AND COUNCIL 

[In pretended horror. 
A-h-h-h! 

SLOUGHTER 

Enough, Sir! Your sword! 



Jacob Leisler 151 

LEISLER 

[Drawing his sword and standing at bay. 
Let those who want my sword come and take it! 

{Gouverneur draws and springs to Leisler s 
sidej while the soldiers, at a signal from. In- 
goldsby, form a semi-circle ready to attack 
them. 

PERE MILLET 

[A gently restraining hand on Leisler s arm. 
Non, non, mon ami — c'est trop tard ! Remember your 
family ! Remember the people who look to you for ex- 
ample! Confide you in your King! Confide you in 
the King of Kings ! 

{^Tableau: Leisler s face shows his bitter 
struggle between fla77iing indignation and recog- 
nition of the hopelessness of resistance. Finally, 
with a skpreme effort at self-control, he slowly 
takes his sword-blade in his left hand and ten- 
ders the hilt to Sloughter, who takes it. 



SLOUGHTER 

I am instructed by his Majesty to inquire strictly and 
impartially into your case. I shall appoint a special 



152 Jacob Leisler 

court to try you and your accomplices for treason. 

Bind him! 

[The soldiers rush at Leisler and treat him 
with extreme indignity , taking his sashj pistols, 
coat and wig, forcing him to his knees and 
binding his arms behind him. Gouverneur is 
disarmed and bound also. Leisler is tenderly 
helped to his feet by Pere Millet. 

LEISLER 

Never mind about me, mon ami! I was taken by 
Turkish pirates once — this is not much worse. 

BAYARD 

If your Excellency will permit, I should like to sug- 
gest that this villain be shut up in the same hole where 
he has kept me, and be manacled by the same chain 
he had put upon my leg. 

SLOUGHTER 

It shall be done. 

[Mary comes in with a tray. 
Well, young woman, what do you want here? 

MARY 

I have brought my father's coffee, Sir. 



Jacob Leisler 153 



LEISLER 



I think I will take my coffee in gaol this morning, 
Mary. 

[To Pere Millet. 
You will join me, mon ami? 

PERE MILLET 

[Lifting his crucifix. 
Mon fils, it is my mission to hold up before all perse- 
cuted and suffering men the emblem of Him who was 
persecuted, suffered and died for us all. 

SLOUGHTER 

Take him away! 

[As Gouverneur is being led off after Leisler, 
Mary timidly places her hand on his arm, in 
sympathy and appeal, hut he turns sadly and 
coldly away, to her manifest distress. 

LEISLER 

[Whirls suddenly at the door and roars back at 
the conspirators : 
I appeal from King William's Governor to King Wil- 
liam himself! 



ACT IV 

You see the richly- furnished reception room of Col. 
Bayard's house, on the night of May 14, i6gi. The 
door at the right leads to the entrance hall; that at 
the left to the inner apartments. Near you on the left 
is a table upon which are a punch bowl, numerous 
glasses, and a lighted candle. Opposite this table, on 
the right side of the room, is a window showing with- 
out the end of a flag-staff with an English flag on 
a halyard draped on a chair within, ready to be run 
out. 

Music and revelry are heard from the inner rooms, 
as Peter comes from the hall, showing in Ingoldsby. 

PETER 

I will tell Governor Sloughter you wish to see him, 
Major Ingoldsby. 

INGOLDSBY 

[Showing a document held in his hand. 
Say to his Excellency it is matter of pressing moment. 

PETER 

Ves, Sir. 

[Starts to go. 



Jacob Leisler 155 



INGOLDSBY 



Stay, Peter! I will see Col. Bayard first — his guests 
can spare him a moment, surely ? 



PETER 
[Hesitatinff. 
He Is celebrating his daughter's wedding, you know — 
but I can give him your message. 



INGOLDSBY 

Do so — tell him it is most serious! 

[Peter goes out left, while Ingoldsby walks to 
and fro in agitation, scanning the document 
he holds, until Bayard appears, in gala attire, 
a glass of wine in his hand. 

BAYARD 

You are late, Major — my daughter is already a bride 
— but [offering the "d^ine] you shall drink to her hap- 
piness. ^ 

INGOLDSBY 

I bring you news which will blast your happiness — as 
it has mine. 



156 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 



Oh, I am beyond reprisal! With my daughter well 
married, with Leisler and Milborne condemned, and 
his Excellency pledged to sign their death-warrant at 
once — nothing can touch me now. 



INGOLDSBY 



[Showing document. 
Nothing but this — a letter to Governor Sloughter from 
the Earl of Nottingham, sending King William's re- 
prieve for any condemned by our court. 



BAYARD 

[Thunderstruck, placing the wine-glass on the 
table unsteadily. 
Major! 

INGOLDSBY 

Read for yourself! 

BAYARD 

\Runs over the document hastily. 
'By intercession of Capt. Benjamin Blagge' — that pes- 
tilent Leislerite who went abroad — 'his Majesty re- 
minds Governor Sloughter of the instructions to 



Jacob Leisler 157 

strictly and impartially inquire into the causes of the 
late disturbances' — 

{^Mumbles over some intervening phrases. 
— 'his Majesty's reprieve for any condemned, and the 
withholdment of sentence until his royal pleasure may 
be further known.' 

[Pause. 
This is grave, Major! 

INGOLDSBY 

'Grave!' Damme, it's disastrous! When his Excel- 
lency reads that, he will never sign the death-warrant. 
[Holds out his hand for the letter. 

BAYARD 

[Resolutely putting the document behind him. 
It must not come to his hand until the death-warrant 
is signed and executed ! 

INGOLDSBY 

Zounds, Colonel, that is a desperate recourse — it 
might cost me my commission! 

BAYARD 

And if that villain Leisler lives to plead before the 
King, how will your commission fare ? 



158 Jacob Leisler 



INGOLDSBY 



{Doubtfully. 
With the governor in his cups, and our friends press- 
ing for sentence, the thing might succeed. 



BAYARD 

It must succeed. How came this letter to hand? 

INGOLDSBY 

With others by the ship Beavj just arrived from Lon- 
don direct. 

BAYARD 

Then it is like Capt. Blagge hath sent news of the 
reprieve b)^ the same post to some of the rabble here. 
Go you at once and seize any such ! 

\JJrging Ingoldsby away, and returning the 
document. 
Meanwhile you can mislay my Lord Nottingham's let- 
ter in some safe place. 

INGOLDSBY 

I'm damnably qualmish about this enterprise, Colonel. 



Jacob Leisler 159 



BAYARD 



[Again pressing the wine upon him. 
Here, let a soldier's comfort restore you to a soldier's 



courage 



[Ingoldsby drinks. 
Now, oflE with you to the Stadt Haus, make all se- 
cure, and come back speedily — we shall need you here ! 
[Bayard hurries Ingoldsby out toward the en- 
trance hall in earnest conference. The voice 
of Miss Livingston is heard coming from the 
inner rooms. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Confess, now. Sir Bachelor, you envied the bridegroom 

most sourly! 

[She comes in on NicoUs's arm, both in wed- 
ding bravery. 

NICOLLS 

Indeed, Madam, I had been well content to occupy 
his station if the bride had been one I might mention. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Fie, fie, you play upon a woman's weakest rampart, 
her curiosity! Name this 'proachless paragon, and let 
me be your envoy at her court! 



i6o Jacob Leisler 

NICOLLS 

I could ask no more potent ambassadress, for, mutato 
nomine de te fabula narratur. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I shall beseech our learned Governor Sloughter to 
translate that for me — if, indeed, he is not too far 
gone in drink to understand even plain English. 

NICOLLS 

Zounds, I hope not, for he has important business yet 
to-night — the warrant for the execution of Leisler and 
Milborne is still unsigned. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

But they have appealed from the judgment of your 
court to the King. Surely his Excellency will not deny 
them that right ? 

NICOLLS 

Bah, they have no such right! The Governor stands 
for the King here — in loco regis. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

But they denied the jurisdiction of your court, did they 



Jacob Leisler i6i 

not, when you refused to rule on whether your King's 
letter to Nicholson gave Leisler authority? 



NICOLLS 

Another technicality! His Excellency brushed that 
plea aside, and, since they allowed themselves to be 
condemned as mutes, they shall be executed as mutes, 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Tyrannical and hot-headed as the man was, your wor- 
shipful William can hardly sanction the execution of 
one who ruled the Province for two years in his name. 



NICOLLS 

His Majesty must needs sanction what is done by his 
own Governor — especially, when it can't be undone — 
factum est, 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I marvel not, Mr. Nicolls, that you, who have felt 
Leisler's heavy hand, are bitter for his death. But I 
hear, also, that the people are much displeasured, and 
have petitioned Governor Sloughter to refer the matter 
to London. 



1 62 Jacob Leisler 



NICOLLS 

Oh, the voice of the rabble is ever for misrule, but 
the best people of the Province are hot for the punish- 
ment of this German upstart — chief among them your 
brother ! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I' faith, if my brother is for the thing, it must be 
wrong! Which will you stand with, my brother or 
me? 

NICOLLS 

Madam, you set my hard head in arms against my 
soft heart. How shall I resolve the quarrel ? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

By sending Governor Sloughter to me here, at once, 
before his soft head has quite yielded to the blandish- 
ments of Col. Bayard's punch. 

NICOLLS 

Agreed ! 

[Nicolls returns to the inner rooms, and Miss 
Livingston drops her mask of badinage, show- 
ing grave concern. As she walks back and 
forth in perplexity, she notices the flag. She 



Jacob Leisler 163 

exajnines it curiously at first, then with star- 
tled understanding of its meaning, deepening 
into pantomimed alarm. Sloughter appears in 
the left doorway. He is richly attired, and, 
without being absolutely tipsy, manifests spir- 
ituous elevation. 

SLOUGHTER 

Madam, this is the most exquisite moment of a most 
delightful occasion — Col. Bayard's charming hospital- 
ity crowned by beauty's commands. His Majesty must 
hear how New York welcomes his new Governor. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Your Excellency is pleased to flatter our poor Province. 
But, if you will permit me, there is matter more 
pressing for his Majesty's hearing. 

SLOUGHTER 

\He goes and takes her hand with effusive gal- 
lantry. 
Miss Livingston has but to speak and I obey. 

[Kissing her hand and continuing to hold it. 
She will find Henry Sloughter's ofKcial armor covers 
a heart most tender and susceptible. 



164 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

That is reassuring, for the case is one in which my own 
feelings are warmly aroused — I mean this appeal of 
Leisler and Milborne to your King. 

SLOUGHTER 

Have no fear, Madam! I quite agree with you that 
never greater rascals lived, and I have just promised 
your brother they shall be hanged out of hand. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

\Withdrawing her hand. 
Your Excellency mistakes me. So far from standing 
with my brother, I believe the execution of these poor 
men would be a cruel murder for which King William 
would hold you much to blame. If they were usurpers, 
what was he? 

SLOUGHTER 

Odsbud, Madam, this is treason to your King, as well 
as to your class. And yet, egad, I like your spirit. 
[He pours a glass of punch and drinks it, after 
she has declined. 
I'm most extraordinarily fond of spirit, and when it 
goes with red lips and bright eyes, Gadzooks, I'm less 



Jacob Leisler 165 

like to put the traitor in gaol than to stop her mouth 
some other way. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I would fain persuade you, Sir, that this is a very 
grave matter — for you as well as for these men. They 
were loyal to your King, and they have many adherents 
in the Province. You have heard but one side of the 
story. 

SLOUGHTER 

[Startinff toward her. 
Your own fair lips shall whisper the other side in my 
ear. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

{^Offering to flee, then suddenly turning and 
taking his hands archly. 
Does your Excellency wish to prove that all your gal- 
lant speeches mean me rather than any woman foolish 
enough to lend ear to your flattery? 



SLOUGHTER 

Madam, I am overwhelmed at the prospect of such ^ 
privilege, 



1 66 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



Then send for Capt. Leisler — now, at once — and let 
him plead his own cause before you ! He has had no 
chance to be heard by any but his enemies. 



SLOUGHTER 

Zounds, Madam, ask me anything but that! The 
Court has given sentence — the Council and Assembly 
urge its execution. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

You have not yet signed the death warrant. 

SLOUGHTER 

But I have promised to — I am going to — and this 
boor's reproaches would not move me not to. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I beseech you hear him — for my sake, if not for his 
own. 

SLOUGHTER 

But, Madam 



Jacob Leisler 167 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



[Flaming away from hi?n. 
'But, but, but, but, but' — but, Sir, you make me your 
butt when you promise so gallantly, and come so 
lamely ofE at the proof! 



SLOUGHTER 

Indeed, I protest. Madam 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Turninff her back upon him. 
Protest me no protests — I will never more believe man ! 
[Inffoldsby returns. 

SLOUGHTER 

Egad, Madam, I don't understand why you 



[Catches sight of Ingoldsby^ hesitates ^ then: 
Major Ingoldsby, go to the Fort and bring Capt. 
Leisler to me here under guard — at once. Major! 



INGOLDSBY 
[In a panic. 
I beg your Excellency's pardon, but- 



i68 Jacob Leisler 



SLOUGHTER 

\_Stamping in anger. 
Not a word, Sir — go! 

[Ingoldsbyj with a humble gesture of assent, 
starts for the inner rooms, meaning to warn 
Bayard. 
That is not the way to the Fort — as you came ! 

[Ingoldsby rushes out right. 
Now, Madam, will you believe me? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

\_So ?nuch elated that she drops diplomacy. 
Governor Sloughter, you make me glad that I appealed 
from Caesar sober to Cassar drunk. 

SLOUGHTER 

Drunk only with your beauty, and mad regret that I 
am no longer free to lay my fortunes at your feet. 

MISS LIVINGSTON , 

Your fortunes shall be more beholden to my head than 
to my feet. 

[Pointing. 
Do you see that flag? 



Jacob Leisler 169 

SLOUGHTER 

In your presence I can see only you. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Let me tell you what this flag means. It is made 
ready to signal to New York the signing of the death- 
warrant which Capt. Leisler's enemies make sure you 
will not refuse them. 

SLOUGHTER 

I can easier understand their intolerance than your 
tolerance of this upstart. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I do admire to hear one commissionate by the Prince of 
Orange prate of upstarts. Listen, Sir Turncoat! A 
King is a King, and when his people depose him the 
people become King. You served King James yester- 
day; you serve King William to-day; to-morrow you 
will serve the King who set James aside for William. 
Beware, then, Sir, that you offend not in this new 
world this new King whose herald is the man you are 
besought to hang! 

SLOUGHTER 

But, Madam, I am assured that even the common 
people are not all with Capt. Leisler, 



lyo Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



They lie who give you such assurance. Did you not 
have a petition for his reprieve, signed by eighteen 
hundred of them ? And your answer was to send poor 
Dominie Daille, who presented it, to prison! 



SLOUGHTER 

Ah, Madam, Madam, where shall I find a way to 
show you how much I wish you had been fated to 
help me govern this Province? 

[Ingoldsby returns with Leisler and a guard of 
red-coats. Leisler is haggard and ill-dressed. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



[^Indicating Leisler. 
You may find it — here! 



INGOLDSBY 

Capt. Leisler, Sir. 

[Going toward the inner rooms. 
I will await your Excellency's pleasure within. 



Jacob Leisler 171 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



[Divining Ingoldsby's intent to warn Bayard, 
and starting toward the outer hall. 
I beseech your Excellency, commission Major In- 
goldsby to escort me home. 



SLOUGHTER 



[As Ingoldsby hesitates. 
Go, Major! I would the chance were mine. 

INGOLDSBY 

[Going with Miss Livingston very reluctantly. 
With pleasure, Madam! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

So good of you: Captain Leisler, you have one last 
chance for your life. Here stands the man who stands 
for your King. Make him realize his responsibility! 
Good speed — and good night! Your Excellency — re- 
member! 

[Miss Livingston carries off the crestfallen In- 
goldsby, 

SLOUGHTER 

So, Capt. Leisler, we meet again! 



172 Jacob Leisler 



LEiSLER 

[Low. 
I humbly thank your Excellency for this privilege. 



SLOUGHTER 

I have been persuaded to give you a hearing, but it 
must be brief. You have been tried and found guilty 
of murder and high treason, and I warn you that my 
mind is made up to execute the sentence of the Court. 
You know what that sentence is^ 



LEISLER 

I think so, your Excellency. 

[Slozvly, recalling the words. 
I am to be hanged up by the neck — and then — while I 
am still alive — I am to be cut down and cut open — 
and my bowels taken out and burnt before my face — 
and then my head cut off — and my body cut into four 
pieces — and these pieces scattered as their Majesties 
shall direct! 

SLOUGHTER 

Yes, yes, but, of course, you understand that the refer- 
ence to their Majesties is purely formal. 



Jacob Leisler 173 



LEISLER 



Their Majesties can hardly send my members where 
they have not been already in their Majesties' service. 

SLOUGHTER 

Moreover, I am disposed to treat you better than you 
deserve. I am willing to remit this sentence — all of it 
— except only the hanging and beheading. 

LEISLER 

Your Excellency is very good to me. 

SLOUGHTER 

I am a merciful man, Capt. Leisler. And now that 
WQ have settled these unpleasant details, will you join 
me in a glass of punch — you look exhausted? 

LEISLER 

I thank your Excellency — I have sold wine but never 
used it. 

SLOUGHTER 

[Helping himself. 
'Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature.' 



174 Jacob Leisler 



LEISLER 



Wine is good for the heart, but not for the head- 
good for those who listen, not for those who speak- 
and I wish to speak and you to listen. 



SLOUGHTER 



Oho, so you are ready to speak now — ^why did you 
refuse to speak in court? 



LEISLER 

[Very quietly. 
Because that court had no authority to hear me, and if 
I had pleaded, the King would accuse me for giving 
away my right. I could not complain of an act of 
my own, for by pleading I M^ould have empowered the 
jury to make them judges of the fact. How can 
twelve men of one county judge the government of 
the whole Province? But I speak now to their Maj- 
esties' representative. 

SLOUGHTER 

As their Majesties' representative I appointed the 
court to try you. 



Jacob Leisler 175 



LEISLER 

{Exploding. 
You had no right to! King William confirmed my 
claim to govern this Province — King William alone 
has the right to judge \\o\v I have done it. I appealed 
my case to him, and your commission commands you 
to grant all such appeals. It empowers you to govern, 
not to judge how / have governed. You let yourself 
be deceived and misled by my enemies in your Council 
into denying my right to the King's letter, freely given 
me by the King's own messenger. You let those 
enemies deceive and mislead you into appointing a court 
made up by them to try me for crimes they themselves 
committed. And this court finds me guilty of murder 
for life lost in Major Ingoldsby's lawless attack upon 
King William's Fort, held by King William's lawful 
Governor, and of treason for resisting this attack two 
days before you had landed and taken the oath as Gov- 
ernor. Major Ingoldsby's commission gave him no 
authority to govern the Province. Until you landed 
he was subject to my orders, not I to his. If murder 
was committed, Major Ingoldsby and those who set 
him on are the murderers; if there has been treason to 
their Majesties, he and his accomplices are guilty of it 
— and yet you appoint Major Ingoldsby one of my 
judges, and let Bayard, Van Cortlandt and Philipse 



176 Jacob Leisler 

decide whether I had right to the King's letter which 
they pretended to themselves! How will your Excel- 
lency answer it to their Majesties and to God for lend- 
ing yourself to this infamous conspiracy? 

\_Sloughters arrogant assurance is beaten down, 
under Leisler s torrential arraignment, to suc- 
cessive uneasiness, alarm, and panic-surrender. 

SLOUGHTER 

But, alas, my dear Capt. Leisler, the matter has gone 
too far! My Councillors look to me as head of 
the Government. How shall I answer their expecta- 
tions unless I carry out the decree of this Court? 

LEISLER 

By showing them you are the head of the Government 
— not their catspaw! 

SLOUGHTER 

They shall see I am no man's catspaw. But they as- 
sure me your execution is necessary to pacify the red 
savages. 

LEISLER 

No, not the red savages, but the white savages, are to 
be pacified by my blood ! 



Jacob Leisler 177 



SLOUGHTER 

This is a most painful predicament for a merciful man. 
Where shall I turn for wise and disinterested counsel ? 
[His eye falls upon the punch bowl and he 
again imbibes. 

LEISLER 

To the King, whose commission you have sworn to 
obey; to the King, who will commend that you show 
the mercy he has shown his enemies; to the King, 
who will not forgive that you usurp his authority! 
Send me to the King for trial — let me meet my enemies 
before the throne ! I have risked my life too often for 
him to fear that he will take it now. 



SLOUGHTER 

Capt. Leisler, I will send you to the King! Not a 
hair of your head shall be touched! 

[ Takes Leisler s hand. 
I am a merciful man. 

LEISLER 

And my son Milborne, and the others my Councillors 
condemned with me? 



178 Jacob Leisler 



SLOUGHTER 

Yes, yes, all of you — I wash my hands of the whole 
matter — not a hair of your heads shall be touched — 
and if my Councillors don't like it they can go to Lon- 
don, too — I shall be well rid of the whole lot of you. 
[Inffoldsby comes back in haste. 



LEISLER • 

I thank your Excellency sehr herzlich — for myself and 
all the others. 

SLOUGHTER 

[Catchinff sight of Ingoldshy, who is trying to 
reach Bayard unobserved. 
Major Ingoldsby, make out a reprieve for Capt. Leisler 
and all the others condemned by your court and bring 
it to me here — at once! 



INGOLDSBY 

But, your Excellency 

SLOUGHTER 
[Roaring. 
Do as I tell you — do you hear ? 



Jacob Leisler 179 



INGOLDSBY 

Yes, your Excellency. 

[He darts out left. 



SLOUGHTER 

Now I shall have the whole pack of them down upon 
me! I heartily wish his Majesty had left you in com- 
mand of this turbulent country — but I don't see how 
you managed it — without wine. 

[He again resorts to the punch bowl. 

LEISLER 

Does your Excellency wish that I go away now? 

SLOUGHTER 

No, stay here — I shall need you. 

{Bayard, Philipse, Van Cortlandtj Nicolls, Liv- 
ingston and Ingoldsby . rush in. All are in 
gala attire and manifestly excited. Bayard 
carries a document in his hand. 

BAYARD 

We find your Excellency in strange company. 



i8o Jacob Leisler 



SLOUGHTER 



\Willing to be offended. 
If Col. Bayard does not like his Governor's guests, I 
will relieve him by receiving them elsewhere. 

BAYARD 

My poor house is honored by any use your ^Excellency 
may be pleased to make of it. 

SLOUGHTER 

Capt. Leisler has convinced me that he did not have a 
fair trial, and I have promised him to refer the whole 
matter to his Majesty. 
^Sensation. 

NICOLLS 

Can your Excellency call a trial unfair for which you 
yourself appointed the judges? 

BAYARD 

Your Excellency goes soon to Albany to meet the Mo- 
hawks, already in treaty with Canada because of this 
man's misrule. How will you justify to them such 
mistaken clemency, or how placate his Majesty if they 
make you lose the Province to the French? 



Jacob Leisler i8i 

SLOUGHTER 

It is not the red savages, but the white savages, who 
are trying to make a catspaw of me. 
[Puts Leisler forward. 

LEISLER 

Who called a congress of the Colonies and raised an 
army to fight the French? Who fortified New York 
and swept the French vessels from this coast? Did 
you, Col. Bayard, or you, Mr. Nicolls, or you, Herr 
Van Cortlandt — skulking upholders, every one of you, 
of King James, the friend of Louis XIV? Who must 
answer to God and the King for the bloody massacre 
at Schenectady — I, who tried to defend it, or King 
James's men at Albany who stayed my hand? So far 
from demanding my death, the Mohawks know that I 
alone have saved them from the French! 

BAYARD 

Bah, a likely story! 

INGOLDSBY 

If your Excellency will permit, my experience with this 
turbulent people convinces me that the prevention of 
future riots and insurrections requires the present pun- 
ishment of those who caused the late outbreak. 



1 82 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

So? Then you, Major Ingoldsby, and not I, would 
dangle from the rope's end. 

SLOUGHTER 

He has you there, Major! 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Lozv to Bayard. 
We must get him away from Leisler. 

BAYARD 

[Nods assent and pours a glass of punch. 
Argument is dry work, gentlemen. Will your Excel- 
lency join us in a glass of punch? 

SLOUGHTER 

No, thank you, I've had quite enough. 

BAYARD 

May we have the pleasure of your company, Capt. 
Leisler ? 



Jacob Leisler 183 

[Leisler makes a gesture of contemptuous re- 
fusal. 
Well, gentlemen, I trust we are not all Puritans? 

[The others J sensing Bayard's plan, crowd 
about the table with zest and are served with 
punch by him. 



INGOLDSBY 

No, damme! If I am to be hanged, I will enjoy life 
while it lasts. 

[Councillors laugh with convivial abandon. 

LEISLER 

[Low to Sloughter. 
They mean to trap your Excellency. 

SLOUGHTER 

I'll not be their catspaw. 

BAYARD 

[Rapping on the table. 
Gentlemen, raise your glasses! I am going to pro- 
pose a toast we all can drink. Here's long life and a 



184 Jacob Leisler 

glorious reign to their gracious Majesties, King Wil- 
liam and Queen Mary! 

COUNCIL 

To King William and Queen Mary! 

BAYARD 

[Offeririff a glass to Slaughter. 
Surely your Excellency cannot refuse to honor that 
toast ? 

SLOUGHTER 

{Low to Leisler, who seeks to detain him. 
Egad, I must — willy-nilly. 

{He goes unsteadily to Bayard and takes the 
glass. 
Just this one cup, then, gentlemen — to their Majesties! 

COUNCIL 

[In triumphant ensemble shout. 
To their Majesties! 

{They gather about Slaughter and drink the 
toast with him. 

NICOLLS 

{Holding out his glass to Bayard to be refilled. 
Now, gentlemen, one more, with me! Here's to Gov- 



Jacob Leisler 185 

ernor Sloughter, the Hercules sent to clean the Augean 
stables of the Western World! May no womanish 
qualms arrest a hero's hand! 

SLOUGHTER 

[Seekinff to retreat, but prevented, and now 
rapidly becoming maudlin. 
Fie, fie, Mist' Nicolls, you do me too much honor! 
Beshides, your tashk is not to my liking. If I mush 
be Hercules, I will rather seek the golden apples of 
the Heshperides. 

\Laughter and applause. 

PHILIPSE 

\how. 
The golden apples are within your grasp — once the 
sterner task is done. 

COUNCIL 

\As Bayard fills their glasses, after serving 
Sloughter. 
The toast, the toast ! Your Excellency, the toast ! 

SLOUGHTER 

Zounds, gen'men, my head is whirling round an' round 
with your toasts, an' my poor legs simply 'fuse to carry 
any more toasts. 



1 86 Jacob Leisler 

VAN CORTLANDT 

A chair for his Excellency ! 

[Bayard deftly places a chair beside the table, 
and Van Cortlandt gently forces Slaughter 
into it. 

NICOLLS 

Now, then — to his Excellency ! 



COUNCIL 

To his Excellency! 

[All drink except Slaughter, who sets his glass 
upon the table. 

BAYARD 

[Placing the glass again in Sloughter's hand. 
Nay, nay, your Excellency must keep us company ! 



SLOUGHTER 

Thasso, I cry you mercy, gen'men! 

[Drinks. 
Mus' 'cep' my gra'ful thanks, gen'men, till I can show 
you in more s'tantial way how mush I am toushed by 
your noble loyalty. 



Jacob Leisler 187 



BAYARD 



[Placing the document on the table. 
Your Excellency's signature to this document will do 
just that — and make you the most popular Governor 
ever sent to rule New York. 



SLOUGHTER 

[ Trying to scan the paper magisterially. 
Wha's this, wha's this, Colonel Bayard ? 

BAYARD 

A warrant for the execution of the condemned traitors, 

Leisler and Milborne! 

[During the toast scene Leisler has remained 
with folded arms and stern self-control. He 
now takes a step toward Sloughter, and cries 
out in warning and appeal: 

LEISLER 

Remember your promise : 'Not a hair of our heads 
shall be touched!' 

SLOUGHTER 

[Pushing the document aside. 
Thasso, gen'men, thasso — given my promish — not a 
hair of their heads. 



1 88 Jacob Leisler 



LIVINGSTON 



But you gave me your promise — not an hour ago- 
you would sign this warrant. 



SLOUGHTER 



Tha's ri', Mist' Livingston, tha's ri', but tha's catch- 
paw promish, an' I'm mushiful man. 



BAYARD 



Then, I pray you, have mercy on the best people of 
this Province, who for two years have suffered insult, 
tyranny and imprisonment at the hands of this usurper ! 
Is it not so, gentlemen? 

COUNCIL 

Aye, aye! 

{They crowd about Sloughter. 

NICOLLS 

The Court has decreed his death. 

PHILIPSE 

The Council has approved it. 



Jacob Leisler 189 

LIVINGSTON 

The Assembly confirms it. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Dominie Selyns and the other ministers cry out to God 
from their pulpits against Leisler's tyranny, and de- 
mand that you make an example of him. 

BAYARD 

Tender-hearted ladies, who have tears for highway- 
men and housebreakers, breathe only vengeance toward 
this man. 

INGOLDSBY 

God's blood, Governor, it's only his own kind, the 
rabble, that upholds this villain ! 

LEISLER 

'The rabble, the rabble, the rabble!' And has 'the 
rabble' no rights? Who upheld King Henry at Agin- 
court, Queen Elizabeth against the Spanish Armada, 
and our own William at Boyne Water ? The rabble ! 
Who settled this Western wilderness and bared their 
breasts to the arrow and the bullet to defend it? The 
rabble ! Was it the 'best people of this Province,' with 
their commissions and their land grants from King 



190 Jacob Leisler 

James, with their 'tender-hearted ladies' and their 
truckling pulpit echoes, who hailed the coming of Wil- 
liam with joy and made me hasten to proclaim him 
King? No, it was the rabble! Ach, you Jacobites and 
popishly-affected aristocrats, this is your hour! You 
can spurn the petitions of the rabble, and you can hang 
me, but, so sure as God reigns, the day is coming when 
the people you now despise will require my blood at 
your hands! For they are the people who are to rule 
this country! 

\The Councillors exchange glances of delight j 
but groan in pretended protest. 

BAYARD 

Your Excellency can now see with what strange doc- 
trines this man has debauched and poisoned the people. 

SLOUGHTER 

'Plorable, 'plorable! I'm mushiful man, but mush 
punish those who debauch and poishon people. 

LEISLER 

[Pointing to the punch bowl. 
Then, Sir, let your first vengeance fall upon those 
who have debauched and poisoned you! 



Jacob Leisler 191 



COUNCIL 



[In pumped-up indignation. 
Ah-h-h-h-h-h! 



SLOUGHTER 



[Pulling the warrant toward him. 
Cap'n Leisler, are you 'ware you are 'dressing Gov- 
ernor of thish Provinch? 



VAN CORTLANDT 



[Low to Bayard. 
Bring pen and ink — quick! 

[Bayard goes on this errand. 

LEISLER 

No, not the Governor, but the drunken catspaw of 
these conspirators! 

SLOUGHTER 

[Holding up two fingers. 
Now, look here, Cap'n Leisler — it's thish way! 

[Pointing to one finger. 
If Governor of thish Provinch ish mushiful man an' 
gives you hish promish, 

[Pointing to the other finger. 



192 Jacob Leisler 

why shou'n he be mushiful to Henry Sloughter, too, 
and give him glash punch? 

PHILIPSE 

[7w Sloughter s ear. 
And why shouldn't he remember that the day these 
villains are hanged Henry Sloughter and his lady will 
own the stateliest mansion in New York? 

SLOUGHTER 

{Rousing. 
Eh? Wha's tha'? 

[Philipse whispers, and Sloughter nods compre- 
hension. Bayard returns with a quill-pen and 
ink. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Dips the pen in the ink and puts it in Slaugh- 
ter s hand. 
Sign there, your Excellency! 

BAYARD 

[Low to Sloughter. 
Lady Sloughter bids me to tell you that if you love her 
you will sign this warrant. 

[He goes to the window, and opens it, ready 
to run out the flag. 



Jacob Leisler 193 



SLOUGHTER 



[To Leisler, resentfully. 
Go'n' keep my promish — no man's catchpaw! 



INGOLDSBY 



[To Leisler, as he tries to approach Sloughter. 
Back, Sir! 

[He signals guards, who drag Leisler back. 



LEISLER 



So? Did you keep the promises you made me when I 
surrendered the Fort to you? 



COUNCIL 



[All point to document. 
Sign there! 

[Van Cortlandt holds a candle so that Slough- 
ter can see to write. 



SLOUGHTER 



[In delirium. 
Go'n' keep my catchpaw — no man's promish! 



194 Jacob Leisler 



COUNCIL 

[In relentless iteration. 
Sign there! 

[Slaughter signs the warrant and tumbles from 
his chair to the floor in unaided stupor. Leis- 
ler towers above him in measureless contempt. 
Bayard runs out the flag, and the Councillors 
raise a wild shout of triumph. The scene is 
suddenly darkened, change to the next being 
made to the accompaniment of weird and 
whirling music. 



* * 



The living-room of Leisler s farmhouse (which stood 
on the site of the present Sun Building, City Hall 
Park), before daylight. May i6, i6gi. It is a low- 
studded, plainly-furnished apartment, somber in effect, 
a door at the left leading to other rooms and another 
at the back giving without, the latter divided in the 
middle and flanked by wide low windows on either 
side. There is also a window at the right. Near you, 
on the right, is a large wing chair beside a small table, 
and on the left is a child's cradle. In one corner is 
the spare four-poster with high-piled feather-bed and 
gay tester and valance. There are bed-steps beside it. 



Jacob Leisler 195 

While it is yet darkj and before the music dies away, 
sounds of a storm are heard, the rumble of thunder 
and dashes of rain against the windows. Then, out of 
the gloom, comes the voice of Frau Leisler: 'Ah, God, 
ah, dear God, is there no helpf A faint beam of 
ghastly light breaks through the window at the right, 
disclosing Frau Leisler seated in the wing chair, and 
Miss Livingston at her side, seeking to comfort her. 
Both wear wraps, having just arrived. Francina is 
asleep in the cradle. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Dear Frau Leisler, you must be strong — for your hus- 
band's sake. 

FRAU LEISLER 

[^Rocking to and fro. 
Ah, Jacob, Jacob, my Jacob! 

\^Mary comes from the left, carrying lighted 
candles, which she places on the table. She 
also wears a wrap and hood. 

MARY 

You will have more comfort with your wraps off, 
mother. 

\Miss Livingston removes Frau Leisler s 
wraps. 



196 Jacob Leisler 

FRAU LEISLER 

'Comfort! Comfort!' No comfort more in this world 
for me! 

MARY 

Mother, mother, we must not waken Francina! 
[She goes to the cradle. 

FRAU LEISLER 

'Francina, Francina!' Ah, Jacob, he don't care for 
anybody but Francina. 

[Showing her wedding ring. 
There was a time — ^when he put this ring on my fin- 
ger — worn so thin and small now — ^when he loved me, 
my Jacob. 

MARY 

Mother! He loves us all — but Francina is his baby! 
\A bell begins to toll. 

FRAU LEISLER 

Why is that bell? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

The procession is on its way from the Fort. 



Jacob Leisler 197 



FRAU LEISLER 



They are going to hang my Jacob — I shall never more 
see him alive. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 



You shall ! You shall ! I have Col. Bayard's promise. 
That is why we are here. 
[The bell tolls. 



FRAU LEISLER 



Bloody and cruel villains, to hang my Jacob on his 
own land — beside his own farmhouse! 



MARY 

Peace, mother, peace ! My heart is breaking, too. 



FRAU LEISLER 

And they build their scaffold — some one told me — 
from the timbers my Jacob put on the Fort to turn 
away the French! 

MARY 
What does it matter? 



198 Jacob Leisler 

FRAU LEISLER 

But they had to send out of town for a ladder — no 
city carpenter would lend them one. 

[Bell. 
Ah, that awful bell! Where is Cobus? Why is he 
not here to be with me? 

MARY 

{Low. 
Shall I tell her? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Yes, it can do no harm. 

MARY 

Mother, Cobus had a letter from Captain Blagge, say- 
ing it is reported in London that the King hath sent 
his reprieve for all condemned in the trials, and he 
has gone to Yonkers to try to have Governor Sloughter 
stop the execution. 

FRAU LEISLER 

God be thanked ! My Cobus will save him. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

We hope so, but the Governor has been spirited away 
by your husband's enemies, and it will be difficult to 
reach him- — even if he is in a state to act. 



Jacob Leisler 199 

[The bell tolls agairij and the low rattle of a 
drum is heard, growing louder, and augmented 
by cries of the crowd, groans mingled with 
execrations. 

FRAU LEISLER 

He is coming! My Jacob is coming! 

[She springs from her chair and rushes to the 
window at the right. Miss Livingston and 
Mary remove their wraps and support her. 
Men and women spectators appear at the rear 
door and windows, which they throw open, 
and from which they eagerly watch the subse- 
quent proceedings. The tumult without in- 
creases, and then suddenly stops as the rear 
door admits Col. Bayard, Pere Millet and 
Leisler, the last-named bound, guarded by a 
file of soldiers, and supported by Pere Millet. 

BAYARD 

Unbind him! 

[The soldiers unbind Leisler. 

FRAU LEISLER 

[Throwing herself into his arms. 
Jacob, my Jacob — they are going to hang my Jacob! 



200 Jacob Leisler 

LEISLER 

Ya, Elsie, the King I have worked for, and paid for, 
and fought for, is going to give me my reward. 

FRAU LEISLER 

Where is Jacob Milborne ? 

LEISLER 

Jacob will have none of our farewells. He awaits me 
at the scaffold. 

FRAU LEISLER 

[Beatinff upon his breast. 
No, Jacob, no ! Listen to me ! There is a hope ! The 
King has sent his reprieve — Cobus has gone to see the 
Governor. 

BAYARD 

[Whirling savagely. 
Where got you such lying report, Madam? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

It comes from Captain Blagge in London, Col. Bayard. 



Jacob Leisler 201 

BAYARD 

[ Violently. 
It is false, false, I tell you! The King has sent no 
reprieve, and you but delude these poor people to 
say so. 

PERE MILLET 

I you beg, Monsieur, in name of that One who die 
so men do live, that you arrest this execution cruel 
until what time we know the verity of this report. 

BAYARD 

[Regaining control of himself. 
Useless, father — it would but prolong a painful scene. 
If Governor Sloughter had received such reprieve, who 
would know it sooner than I? 

MARY 

But will you not wait until my brother has seen the 
Governor ? 

BAYARD 

No, Madam 1 You must make your farewells at once. 

Your brother will not see the Governor 

[Correcting himself. 
That is, the Governor has no excuse to interfere, since 
the King has not interfered. 



202 Jacob Leisler 

FRAU LEISLER 

I hate him, that cruel King! 

LEISLER 

Nein, Elsie, nein — not cfuel, but very far away, and 
too much occupied with great affairs to take care for 
this poor Province of New York. But maybe, now 
that my work for him is done, he will remember my 
name. 

PERE MILLET 

Si, si, mon ami, and the day will come when the people 
of New York will remember it, too. 

FRAU LEISLER 

Jacob, don't say your work is done! Cobus will save 
you yet. 

LEISLER 

I have made my peace with God and have no hope 
from man. But there is a work for Cobus. ^Giving 
her medal taken from his neck] Give him this medal! 
It bears the head of that great friend of liberty. Lord 
Shaftesbury, and on it I have cut some words : [Read- 
ing] 'Remember well and baer in mynd a faethful 




REMEMBER WELL AND BAER IN MYND 
A FAETHFUL FRIND IS HARD TO FEIND. 



(The abo've is the legend cut on the rim of the 
medal by Leisler himself ^whilst in prison. ) 



Jacob Leisler 203 

frind is hard to feind.' Tell Cobus he shall never 
rest more in this world until King William knows I 
have been that faithful friend to him! 

FRAU LEISLER 

Jacob, you are so cold, and wet to the skin. 

LEISLER 

Ah, that is nothing. 

FRAU LEISLER 

May God's curse fall upon those who bring you to 
this! 

LEISLER 

Say not so, Elsie ! I wish in the grave I am so soon to 
fill may be buried also the hatreds and jealousies I have 
caused. My enemies have brought my body to shame, 
but I hope they will not despise my family for that. 
I ask their forgiveness for the mistakes I have made 
through rashness, haste and anger, and, it may be, be- 
cause I did not know what was in their hearts. 

[To Miss Livingston. 
Tell your brother that for me! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

I pray you. Sir, count me not among your enemies! 
I am a Jacobite — ten thousand times a Jacobite, when 



204 Jacob Leisler 

I see how your King deserts those who have served him 
so faithfully. 

LEISLER 

[Going to Miss Livingston and taking both 
her hands. 
Ah, Madam, my King does not know^ and when he 
knows it will be too late. But I wish you to know 
that old Jacob Leisler thanks you from the bottom of 
his heart for all your kindness to him and to those he 
loves. [Low'\ Cobus has told me — I am glad. {Miss 
Livingston turns away to hide her emotion. 

{The bell tolls. 

BAYARD 

You must hasten your leave-taking — we have business 
elsewhere. 

MARY 

\To Miss Livingston. 
Oh, will Cobus never come ! 

LEISLER 

[Going to Pere Millet. 
Mon ami, you have been my friend when you were my 
prisoner, and you have been my comforter when I my- 
self was prisoner. Now I ask you to stay here and 
comfort those I must leave behind. [The priest 



Jacob Leisler 205 

TTiutely assents. Leisler turns to Mary, who throws 
herself sobbing into his arms] My little Mary, my 
little Captain Mary — so brave to help her old vater 
when he needed help — she is going to be brave always 
to help her mutter and hand down her vater's good 
name to those who come after her. 

[Mary sinks to her knees before him, and he 
places his hands upon her head in benediction. 
Then he turns to Fran Leisler, holding her 
some moments in silent embrace, finally sig- 
nalling Miss Livingston, who gently reseats 
her in the chair. Leisler goes slowly to the 
cradle, and, kneeling beside it, takes the hand 
of the sleeping child, and, kissing it fondly, 
looks long and fixedly into her face, then sud- 
denly buries his face in the coverlet, sobbing: 
My baby, my baby Francina ! 

[ The bell tolls, and Bayard taps Leisler on the 
shoulder. 

BAYARD 

Come, Sir! 

LEISLER 

[Kissing the child gently on the forehead and 
rising. 
I am ready. 



2o6 Jacob Leisler 



BAYARD 

Bind him! 

[The soldiers crowd roughly about Leisler and 
bind his arms behind hirrij while the crowd at 
the rear windows begins a murmur of protest^ 
which rises into a tumult. 

BAYARD 

March ! 

LEISLER 

[Turns commandingly at exit, and makes him- 
self heard above the uproar. 
Listen to me — everybody! 

[The uproar suddenly ceases. 
I declare before God and the world that what I have 
done was for King William and Queen Mary, for 
the defence of the Protestant religion and the good of 
New York. 

[Bell. Pere Millet goes to Leisler, and holds 
up the crucifix before him appealingly, but 

Leisler slowly shakes his head. 
Non, non, non, mon ami, I am not convert to the re- 
ligion you profess, but to the religion you live! 

PERE MILLET 

Then you will accept the blessing of the man — if not 
of the priest? 



Jacob Leisler 207 

[Leisler bows his head, and Pere Millet ex- 
tends his hands in benediction. Frau Leisler 
throws herself upon her knees. Darkness sud- 
denly falls, and the tumult recommences, con- 
tinuing until this symbolic tableau is seen: 

Frau Leisler is seated in the wing-chair, 
with Francina clasped in her left arm com- 
forting her, her other hand holding out the 
medal to Cobus, booted and spurred as from 
riding, kneeling on her right, his hands ex- 
tended to take it. Miss Livingston stands be- 
side the chair just back of him, and Pere Mil- 
let, his hands outstretched in blessing, is on 
the extreme left, a little back of Cobus. Mary 
and Gouverneur are together, on Frau Leis- 
ler s left. All look at Cobus, in sympathy 
with his expression of exalted self-consecra- 
tion to the charge laid upon him by his father s 
message and memento. The sombre lighting 
has given place to morning sunlight. 



EPILOGUE 

Shakespeare says 'a good play needs no epilogue* 
but, as he says so in the epilogue to a good play, his 
humblest disciple, doubting not all help is needed, ven- 
tures to detain the patient reader for a last word or 
two, even though the beholder be bolted. 

Its scene shall be the Dutch garden of the Van Cort- 
landt -mansion, late in an autumn afternoon of i6gs. 
It shows a corner of the garden formed by the intersec- 
tion of the rear of the house with the garden wall, the 
former extending obliquely toward your left, the latter 
to the right. In this wall is a stile with steps crossing 
over it, and leading from the house is a door with 
stoop. Nearer you on the left is a rose-bowered seat; 
opposite is a fountain, and between them a sun-dial. 
In the angle of the house and wall is a statue set in 
a topiary niche of box. Much of the space is taken up 
by flower beds in geometrical shapes with low borders 
of trimmed box intersected by narrow curving walks, 
presenting a blaze of rich and harmonious coloring. 
Over the garden wall are seen the quaint gables of 
little old New York. Shutting off the view of the 
remainder of the garden at the right are locust trees. 

208 



Jacob Leisler 209 

Miss Livingston is seated in the rose bower with a 
lute, singing to its accompaniment^ 'When the King 
Enjoys His Own Again : 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

'Though for a time you may see Whitehall with cob- 
webs hanging over the wall, 
Instead of silk and silver brave, as formerly it used 

to have. 
And in every room the sweet perfume, delightful for 

that princely train; 
The which you shall see when the time it shall be 
That the King comes home in peace again.' 

\Mary comes to the top of the stile, pausing 
there a moment to listen to the song, then 
steals down the steps and around the walk to 
the bower, where she suddenly claps her hand 
upon Miss Livingston s shoulder, and, with 
a roguish assumption of masculine voice and 
military brusqueness, exclaims: 



MARY 

Ahem! Ahem! Madam, I arrest you In the name of 
King William for treasonable utterance. 



2IO Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Embracinff her. 
Child, indeed j^ou did startle me. I thought Governor 
Fletcher had sent one of his pirate crew to hale me off 
to a ship's hold in chains. 

MARY 

Surely Councillor Van Cortlandt's roof would pro- 
tect you? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Perhaps, but Governor Fletcher likes my plain speech 
as little as hie doth that of your father's Councillors, 
whom he kept so long in gaol. 

MARY 

Alackaday, how could a wise King choose such a 
scurvy Governor? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

'Like master like man!' With whom should a pirate 
King's Governor associate if not with pirates? 

MARY 

Think you truly, Madam, Governor Fletcher hath 
commerce with such? 



Jacob Leisler 211 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Child, it is notorious! How else should he keep the 
goldsmiths busy making him snuff-boxes? Why, but 
yestreen I saw him out driving with that high-handed 
sea-robber Tew, and Brother Van Cortlandt tells me 
he had to meet this agreeable cut-throat at his table, 
and was assured by his Excellency that Tew is *a most 
companionable fellow,' and that he has it in his 
heart to convert him from the error of his ways. 
Faugh ! 

MARY 

If the King but knew! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Know? None knows better. 'Set a rogue to catch a 
rogue!' My brother writes me from London how he 
hath convinced the Lords of Trade of the vast sums 
due him from the Province which Fletcher hath di- 
verted to his own use, and how he hath secured from 
your pirate King a commission for that bold and honest 
man, Captain Kidd, to sweep all pirates from these 
shores. 

MARY 

Fie, oh, fie, I had clean forgot what I came hot-foot 
to tell you! A letter from Cobus in London saith he 



212 Jacob Leisler 

has at last prevailed to clear our father's memory, and 
that he is taking the next ship home. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Embracing Mary anew. 
Child, child, this is news, indeed! Come and tell me 
all about it! 

MARY 

I am so happy — it seems out of credence after these 
five long years of waiting and disappointment. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

The Parliament hath reversed your father's attainder? 

MARY 

The Parliament, yes — but it was the King who made 
them do it. Oh, he is so good. King William ! 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

You are the first to make the discovery. But I sup- 
pose even pirates have their moments of penitence. 
And so your brother is coming home — does Master 
Gouverneur accompany him? 

MARY 

I think so. Madam. 



Jacob Leisler 213 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

I hope so, Mary Milborne. I trow he hath waited 
quite long enough. 

{Sound of distant cheering and tumult. 
Hark! Does that mean the French are coming down 
the river to attack us — or that his Excellency is on 
parade in his new coach? 

MARY 
Is it his hour? 

[Going to the sun-dial. 
What saith the dial? No, Madam, it is too early for 
the Governor. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Oh, well, then, it is only the French, so come and tell 
me more of your brother's news! 

[Joost Stoll comes in haste to the top of the 
stile. 

STOLL 

[Calling. 
Madam Milborne, Madam! There is great news from 
your husband, Madam. 

MARY 

[Startled. 
Why, Joost Stoll, you know my husband has been dead 
these five years. 



2 14 Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Enter, Master Stoll, and give us your news ! 

[Stoll pauses upon the stile, as if gravely delib- 
erating, then solemnly and very slowly de- 
scends the steps to the walk, where he pauses 
anew, lost in thought. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Make haste, my good man — we are waiting for your 

message. 

[Stoll comes around the walk with exasperating 
deliberation, and the manner of one overbur- 
dened by what he has to say. Reaching the 
ladies, he makes them a stiff military salute, 
then stands silently at attention. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 
Well, Sirrah, what is it? 

MARY 

Good Joost, you spoke of Mr. Milborne? 

STOLL 

When I was in London 

[Pause. 



Jacob Leisler 215 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Yes, yes — go on! 

MARY 

When you were in London ? 

STOLL 

When I was in London — I saw the King — and the 
King saw me. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

But what came of it? 

MARY 

What had that to do with Mr. Milborne? 

STOLL 

I am coming to that. When I was in London the 
King saw me, and now comes news of what the Prov- 
ince of New York owes to Joost StoU. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 
What news? 

MARY 

Oh, Joost, you are so tedious ! 



2i6 Jacob Leisler 



STOLL 

[Wheels and starts away in dudgeon. 
Very well, then, if you care not to hear the message 
I was sent to excommunicate 

[They pursue and bring him back. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Now, Sirrah — your message! 

MARY 

Yes, Joost, what is it? 

[There is louder cheering without. 

STOLL 

Do you hear those huzzays? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

What do they mean ? 

STOLL 

They mean that Joost StoU has prevailed at last, 

and 

[Pauses anew. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

And? 



Jacob Leisler 217 



MARY 

Go on! 

STOLL 

[To Mary, with uncorked fluency. 
And that your brother, Madam, and [to Miss Living- 
ston^ your brother, too, Madam, to say nothing of Mas- 
ter Abraham Gouverneur, have all just arrived from 
London in the ship Catharine, looking mighty fine, 
and bringing news that the King and Parliament [to 
Mary] have restored your father and husband every- 
thing — except their lives — and [to Miss Livingston] 
that your brother. Madam, hath preponderated Gov- 
ernor Fletcher and is to have his old office again. 



MARY 

[Throwing herself into Miss Livingston's arms. 
Oh, I am so happy I think I must weep ! 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Nay, child, you must not meet Master Gouverneur 
with your nose-cloth — he is too vain already. [To 
Stoll] Where are these returners? 



2i8 Jacob Leisler 



STOLL 



Your brother, Madam, is within with Herr Van Cort- 
landt, while the others have gone to seek [^indicating 
Mary] Madam, here. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Fie, Sirrah, you should have told us that sooner! Go 
at once and send Master Leisler and Master Gouver- 
neur here! 

[Stoll salutes and marches rapidly back to the 

stile. There is renewed cheering and clamor 

just outside. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

They are coming now, I think. Stay you here and 
meet them — I must in and greet my brother. 

[Miss Livingston flies into the house. Behind 
the garden wall comes a crowd of men and 
women with joyous exclamations: 'Huzzay 
for King William I' 'Huzzay for Jacob Leis- 
ler!' 'A good son to clear his father's name!' 
'A chip of the old block, say 1' etc. 



Jacob Leisler 219 



STOLL 

[Beckoning from top of stile. 
This way, Master Leisler! This way, Master Gou- 
verneur! Madame Milborne is here! 

[To crowd. 
Peace, good fellows! Good friends, peace! I, En- 
sign Joost Stoll, that Captain-General Leisler sent to 
London, rejoice with you over this great victory I set 
on foot, but you must go away now and let Master 
Leisler greet his sister. When I was in London 

FRAU STOLL 

[Calling imperiously without. 
Joost Stoll! 

STOLL 

Ja, ja, Elishamet! 

FRAU STOLL 

You come home right now and take care of the chil- 
dren while I 'tend bar! 

STOLL 

Ja, ja, Elishamet! 

[Stoll vanishes^ jeered by the crowd, which then 
disperses. Upon the stile appear Cobus and 



220 Jacob Leisler 

Gouverneur, both very smart in dress. They 
wave their greetings and come to Mary, Co- 
bus embracing her. 

MARY 

Have you seen mother? 

COBUS 

Yes, for a moment — she told me you were here. Is 
she not radiant, this little sister? 

GOUVERNEUR 

I — I — she seems — that is — but I have no right to ex- 
press any opinion as to Madam Milborne's appearance. 

MARY 

[Going to Gouverneur j both hands extended. 
'Madam Milborne,' forsooth! Abra'm, I am ashamed 
of you. If I am radiant it is because I am so happy 
to see you — both. 

COBUS 

You have heard the great news? 

MARY 

Yes, oh yes, and I so want to thank somebody — and 
the King isn't here. 



Jacob Leisler 221 

COBUS 

Then thank Mr. Livingston, who moved my Lord 
Bellomont to bring us to the King. 

MARY 

Mr. Livingston! Is it possible? 

COBUS 

Mr. Livingston is too great a man, and too dispas- 
sionate, to let ancient feuds interfere with present 
justice. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Or present interest! 

COBUS 

Nay, Abra'm, let us have done with the quarrels of 
yesterday, and go on to a glorious to-morrow! [To 
Mary] You must thank Abra'm, too, who hath fought 
with me for much more than the reversal of his own 
attainder. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Nay, Madam, while my life lasts it is honor enough 
that the King and his Parliament should have linked 
my name with that of your revered father. 



222 Jacob Leisler 

MARY 

Oh, modest, modest, Abra'm! And Miss Livingston, 
who was here but a moment ago, told me you were a 
vain man. 

COBUS 

Miss Livingston — where is she now? 

MARY 

She went within to greet her brother — you'll find 
her there. 

GOUVERNEUR 

Yes, Cobus — there! 

COBUS 

I shall tell Miss Livingston how modest you are — both 
of you! 

[Cobus enters the house. Mary and Gouver- 

neur stand and look at each other during some 

moments of embarrassed silence. 

MARY 

Now what do you suppose he meant by that? 

GOUVERNEUR 

I — haven't — the — least — idea. 



Jacob Leisler 223 

MARY 

[In desperation, after another long pause. 
You are much changed since last we met, Abra'm. 
And I am too, am I not? 

GOUVERNEUR 

I hope not, Madam, with all my soul. 

MARY 

Why? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Because I thought — you said once, you know — that 
you would always — I am quite sure you said ahuays — 
and I have so often wondered during these long 

years 

MARY 

Yes, Abra'm? 

GOUVERNEUR 

So often wondered 

[Noting the sun-dial and moving toward it. 
What's o'clock? 

MARY 

[Also going to the dial. 
The dial is like you, Abra'm, it takes no longer note 
of time. 



224 Jacob Leisler 

GOUVERNEUR 

If, indeed, this hour might last forever! 

MARY 

I think it must, in sooth, if it waits upon your utter- 
ance. Shall / say it ? 

GOUVERNEUR 

Ah, Mary, you broke my heart once — surely you will 
not again? 

MARY 

Abra'm, my father always loved you dearly — but not 
so dearly as I have — 'always.' 

GOUVERNEUR 

\Taking her into his arms. 
He left you once in my care, and since then I have 
cared only to make that trust perpetual. 

MARY 

I don't see any grave reason why you shouldn't. 

\He kisses her. 
Now, tell me of all the brave doings in London ! 



Jacob Leisler 225 



LIVINGSTON 

{Within the house. 
You see, Van Cortlandt, ft was this way. 

MARY 

Here comes a council of State, but I know a sweet 
little nook at the bottom of the garden where we shall 
not interrupt it. This way, Abra'm! 

[Mary dances off to the rights followed by 

Gouverneur. Van Cortlandt and Livingston 

come from the house. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

To tell you the truth, brother, these changes of court 
policy make us poor provincials a bit dizzy. I don't 
understand why the King should have lent ear to this 
Leisler outcry, and even less why you should have 
encouraged it. , 

LIVINGSTON 

Stephanus, if I have made some advancement it has 
been by reaching inevitable conclusions a little sooner 
than anybody else. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

You mean? 



226 Jacob Leisler 



LIVINGSTON 

{Throwing himself into the bower seat and 
stretching out his legs. 
I mean that, while the King and I are alike in not 
allowing sentiment to interfere with interest, I have 
the advantage of his Majesty in not delaying a wise 
thing because it bears color of generosity. Besides, I 
have some natural temper — but no asthma. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Then this act reversing the attainder was inevitable? 

LIVINGSTON 

Absolutely! There was much pressure from both 
Massachusetts and Holland, and Bellomont, who has 
the King's ear, had taken the matter up, declaring the 
men were 'barbarously murdered.' 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Why should he? 

LIVINGSTON 

Because he is a hot-headed democrat with a fancy to 
rule these provinces himself, and Fletcher's hostility 
to the Leisler party was his cue. 



Jacob Leisler 227 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Oho, I see — and yours, also! 

LIVINGSTON 

Exactly, for if my charges against Fletcher helped 
young Leisler's case, his testimony manfully aided mine. 
Besides, my sister made point of it — she has always 
had a whim for these Leislers. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

Think you Lord Bellomont would favor the Leisler 
adherents should he become Governor? 

LIVINGSTON 

Assuredly, He has already pledged young Leisler res- 
titution of his estates and the monies expended by his 
father, as well as a reburial in state of the bodies of 
his father and brother-in-law. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

But you truly have Fletcher on the hip? 

LIVINGSTON 

I should not be here else. The Lords of Trade order 
him to pay my claims against the Province in full, and, 



228 Jacob Leisler 

besides, send me back as Commissioner Agent for the 
Indians at a fat salary. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

He will fight that. 

LIVINGSTON 

He will have fighting enough to clear his skirts of 
complicity with the pirates. My Lord Bellomont is 
minded to press that charge, and hath joined with 
me in moving the King to commission Captain Kidd 
against them. 

VAN CORTLANDT 

[Goes to Livingston and speaks low. 
But, brother, that is a delicate matter. There are per- 
sons of importance here who would be gravely con- 
cerned. 

LIVINGSTON 

Who, pray? 



VAN CORTLANDT 



Well, for one- 



\Stoops and whispers in Livingstons ear. 



LIVINGSTON 



Astounding! I thought he had more prudence. We 
must warn him of his danger at once. Where can he 
be found? 



Jacob Leisler 229 



VAN CORTLANDT 

I think he is at home now — and there are others who 
should know. 

[ Van Cortlandt and Livingston go away by the 
stile in earnest consultation. 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Heard without. 
King William go hang! I've no patience with pirates 
— in England or New York. 

\Miss Livingston and Cobus come from the 

house. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[As Cobus tries to walk beside her. 
Don't invade Madam Van Cortlandt's aster-bed — as 
you hope for tuzzi-muzzies hereafter! 



COBUS ' 

I beg Madam Van Cortlandt's pardon — as I do yours 
for venturing to suggest that the consideration shown 
by his Majesty to some of those lately opposed to him 
should at least lighten Miss Livingston's disfavor. 



230 Jacob Leisler 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Oh, I am not so easily bought as my brother seems to 
have been. Praj^, what has this usurper done for you? 
Has he given you back 5^our father's life? Do you 
think if you and yours had been as faithful to King 
James as you were to this interloper, he would have 
suffered your father to be put to death? 

COBUS 

My King has done what he could to repair the wrongs 
committed in his name. And when I knelt before him 
and showed him this medal [suspended about his 
neck], he told me, with tears in his eyes, how deeply 
he appreciated my father's devotion, and how his anger 
was kindled against those who kept the knowledge 
of it from him. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Words, words, words! It is long since William the 
Silent. 

COBUS 

My heart is too full of gratitude to the King, to all 
who have helped me, to dwell upon ancient errors. 
Even some of my father's enemies have been my 
friends — your brother most of all. 



Jacob Leisler 231 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

My brother had his reasons, doubtless. 

COBUS 

Yes, the King himself told me Mr. Livingston did 
what he did at the intercession of one near to him. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Then your King lied — I never lifted a finger to help 
you. 

COBUS 

A.ha, Madam, you betray yourself! Who accused you 
of helping me? 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

You did. 

COBUS 

Nay, I said not so, but I believe it — and thank God 
very fervently that I can. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

[Seatinff herself in the bower. 
And why, pray? 



232 Jacob Leisler 

COBUS 

If Major Milborne were living he might answer you. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Oh, you think because I gave you some feigned toler- 
ance to spite Brother Barebones I must needs have 
been plotting in your behalf ever since? Master Co- 
bus, I think truly your success at William's court hath 
turned your head. 

COBUS 

Madam, / am no weathercock. I loved you five years 
ago, and I love you to-day, in spite of our differences 
in station and allegiance, in spite of all the bitter 
things it has pleased you to say to me, and I even dare 
to hope that, if I might stand before you simply as a 
man pleading for the woman he loves, I might not 
plead in vain. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

Do you think a true daughter of Scotland can ever 
forget that she comes from the land of the Stuarts, 
that it was your Dutch King who drove them from 
their own, and that your father and you both did 
what you could to perpetuate this infamy? 



Jacob Leisler 233 



COBUS 

Ah, what have we to do with kings and their quarrels 
in this new land? The great ocean rolls between us 
and their dissensions — shall it not also shut us off from 
all the false and trivial distinctions of rank and prece- 
dence, from entailed honor and estate, from sycophant 
courtiers pandering to dissolute kings? God has given 
this new world to a new race of men and women, men 
and women whose first allegiance is to Hi7n — one 
bright land of liberty, hope and opportunity for all, a 
paradise to which fallen man may return, a haven of 
refuge for the oppressed so long as centuries roll ! 



MISS LIVINGSTON 

Is this poetry or revolution, Master Cobus? 

COBUS 

Both — for it prefigures the America that is to be. My 
father paid his penalty for trying to be loyal to both 
the old order and the new, and I should be un- 
worthy to bear his name could I not also bear with 
fortitude the condemnation and contempt you visit 
upon him and upon me. 



234 Jacob Leisler 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

liPicks Up her lute and sings very softly and 
tantalizingly : 
'The man in the moon may wear out his shoone in Tun- 
ing after Charles his wain; 
But all to no end, for the times they will mend when 
the King comes home in peace again.' 

COBUS 

So, I have my answer! 

[He turns sadly away, and goes slowly around 
the walk to the stile, on top of which he pauses 
to take a last look at his tormentress. She has 
been watching him slyly around the corner of 
the bower seat, meanwhile humming the air 
she had been singing. At the moment when 
he turns, she springs to her feet and, suddenly 
changing the air to ^Lilliburlero/ sings gayly 
up to him: 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

*Ho, Broder Teague, dost hear de decree? Lillibur- 

lero buUen a la, 
Dat we shall have a new deputee ? Lilliburlero buUen 

a la.' 



Jacob Leisler 235 

[After an instant of bewilderment, merging 
into rapturous recognition of her meaning, 
Cobus leaps recklessly from the stile into the 
flower-bed, and, bounding to her sidcj clasps 
her in his arms. 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

{Between his kisses. 
Alas — how shall I placate — Madam Van Cortlandt — 
for the wreck — you have made of her asters? 

COBUS 

Tell her — it was all the fault of — King James 1 

MISS LIVINGSTON 

That is not — the authorized — King James version. 



NOTES 

Governor Sloughter died suddenly, a few weeks 
after the execution of Leisler and Milborne, and was 
buried beside Peter Stuyvesant, St. Mark's-in-the- 
Bowery. At the plea of Jacob Leisler, Jr., and Abra- 
ham Gouverneur, backed by the Earl of Bellomont and 
Robert Livingston (who, for reasons of his own, had 
changed over to the Leisler side), Parliament in 1695 
passed a bill which, receiving King William's assent, 
reversed the attainder of Leisler, Milborne and Gou- 
verneur. It declared that the King's letter of July 30, 
1689, had confirmed Leisler in the command given 
him by the New York General Assembly, that he was 
justified in refusing to deliver the fort to Ingoldsby 
and had surrendered it in due season to Sloughter. 
When Bellomont became Governor of New York in 
1698, the bodies of Leisler and Milborne were disin- 
terred from their first burial place in the rear of the 
present Tribune Building, and reburied in the Dutch 
Church in Garden street (now Exchange Place) with 
imposing funeral honors. The Leisler party having 
come into power, Col. Bayard was condemned for 
treason, but escaped execution by the death of King 
236 



Jacob Leisler 237 

William in 1702. In 1699 Abraham Gouverneur 
married Mary Milborne, and was elected to the New 
York Assembly, of which he became Speaker in 1701. 
'And from their happy union,' writes E. S. Brooks, 
'sprang a line of worthy American men and women 
who have kept green the memory of that first of 
American patriots to whom they can proudly trace 
their ancestral line and whose names have been 
counted among the honored ones of the city that has 
grown so strong and mighty since those f ar-ofE days of 
two centuries back.' 



It is a singular fact that New York City, amid its 
multiplicity of fearful and wonderful statues to exotic 
celebrities, had not, for the 220 years preceding Sun- 
day, April 23, 191 1, a memorial of any sort to the man 
who here, for the first time in American history, gov- 
erned a colony by the election of its own people, who 
here assembled the first American congress, who here 
was executed for 'treason' to a- King whose superloyal 
adherent he had been for two years of soul-racking 
struggle, a King who all-too-late confirmed his 
confirmation to act as Leftenant-Governor and Com- 
mander-in-Chief of the Province. When, on the date 
named, the United German Societies gathered about 
the little grass-plot at the western end of City Hall 



238 Jacob Leisler 

to celebrate with song and bilingual eulogy the plant- 
ing in Leisler's honor of the two 5^oung oak trees sent 
from Frankfort-on-the-Main, Park Commissioner Sto- 
ver voiced the regret of many in declaring : 'There has 
been no monument raised to his memory. Not a park 
has been named for him, not a street, nor an alley. 
Over there stands a statue of Nathan Hale, who laid 
down his life in like cause, and some day I hope one 
of Leisler will stand near by.' It is true, Frankfort 
street, which intersects land once Leisler's bowery, 
was named for his native city. But even the place of 
his final sepulture is unknown, unmarked, and one is 
forced to concede the paradox noted by Mrs. Schuyler 
Van Rensselaer, who, in her monumental History of 
New York City in the Seventeenth Century, after 
relating the unending controversy as to Leisler's char- 
acter and motives, goes on to say: 'This does not 
mean that Leisler, or even Leisler's name, is well re- 
membered in New York. While students of its his- 
tory have quarrelled about him more than about any 
other colonial character, its people have forgotten him.' 
If this be so, is it not time they should say with Ver- 
milye : 'Let us turn his face from the wall !' 



If relatively few residents of the inordinate metro- 
polis are interested in its beginnings, there are those 



Jacob Leisler 239 

in its suburb, New Rochelle, who recall the fact that 
in 1689 Leisler bought for Huguenots in England 
from John Pell, second proprietor of Pelham Manor, 
the six thousand acres now comprised within the town- 
ship of New Rochelle, Westchester County, and dur- 
ing the year 1690, "while," as Mrs. Van Rensselaer 
points out, "his hands were overfull of public work 
and trouble," he sold off the whole of the tract to in- 
coming Frenchmen at cost. New Rochelle yet has 
descendants of these original Huguenot settlers as 
well as at least one (Mrs. Montgomery Schuyler) of 
Leisler himself, and the Huguenot Chapter of the 
Daughters of the Revolution has commissioned Mr. 
Solon H. Borglum, the sculptor, to execute a statue 
of Leisler to stand upon the grounds of the Hu- 
guenot Association in that city. A photograph 
of Mr. Borglum's preliminary sketch for this 
statue will be found upon another page. While 
extended and persistent search has failed to bring to 
light any authentic portrait of Leisler, Mr, Borglum's 
conception is one profoundly expressive of the mingled 
benevolence, virile independence and vivid picturesque- 
ness characterizing the first people's governor of New 
York. In physiognomy he has accented his subject's 
traditional French ancestry. The figure, admirably 
unconventional in poise and costuming, is intended to 
be seen upon a nine-foot pedestal. It stands sturdily 



240 Jacob Leisler 

erect, the head thrown back and turned slightly to 
the left, the left arm uplifted and supported by the 
right hand which clasps the top of a long staff, the 
left hand, gauntleted, grasping a roll of deeds. A 
wide-brimmed hat, sword-belt, flowing wig and long 
cloak are effective features of the costume. In no- 
bility of conception and sympathetic zest of execution 
Mr. Borglum's work is one which singularly com- 
mends itself to the appreciation of those who revere 
the memory of Jacob Leisler. The undertaking is 
local to New Rochelle, but those having it in charge 
welcome the cooperation of Leisler's admirers every- 
where, an invitation to which there have been already 
numerous responses. 



The songs used in the play have historical signifi- 
cance. Of 'Lilliburlero' Thomas Percy says: 'Slight 
and insignificant as these verses may now seem, they 
once had a more powerful effect than either the philip- 
pics of Demosthenes or Cicero, and contributed not a 
little toward the great revolution in 1688.' To which 
he cites the testimony of Burnet, a contemporary 
writer, who says of the song: 'The whole army, and 
at last the people, both in city and country, were sing- 
ing it perpetually. And perhaps never had so slight a 
thing so great an effect,' 'Lilliburlero' and 'buUen a la' 



Jacob Leisler 241 

are said to have been words of distinction used by the 
Irish in the massacre of 1641. Concerning 'When 
the King Enjoys His Own Again,' Joseph Ritson, the 
English antiquary, writes: 'And as a tune is said to 
have been a principal means of depriving King James 
of his crown, this very air, upon two memorable occa- 
sions, was very near being equally instrumental in 
replacing it on the head of his son.' 



242 



Jacob Leisler 



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we shall have a new dep - u - tee? 



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Jacob Leisler 243 



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LILLIBURLERO 

[Words attributed to Lord JVharton, i686\ 

Ho, Broder Teague, dost hear de decree? 

Lillfburlero bullen a la, 
Dat we shall have a new deputee? 
Lilliburlero bullen a la. 
Lero, lero, lilliburlero, 
Lilliburlero bullen a la. 

Ho, by my shoul, it is de Talbot, 
And he will cut all de English throat; 

Tho, by my shoul, de English do praat, 

De law's on dare side, and Creish Icnows what, 

But if dispense do come from de Pope, 

We'll hang Magna Charta and demselves in a rope. 

And de good Talbot is made a lord. 
And he with brave lads is coming aboard, 



244 Jacob Leisler 

Who in France have taken a sware 
Dat dey will have no Protestant heir, 

O, but why does he stay behind ? 

Ho, by my shoul, 'tis a Protestant wind. 

Now Tyrconnel is come ashore, 
And we shall have commissions gillore ; 

And he dat will not go to mass 
Shall turn out and look like an ass. 

Now, now, de hereticks all go down, 

By Creish and St. Patrick, de nation's our own ! 



Jacob Leisler 



245 



S 



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p p p p p r 
I I I I I ' 

What Book-er can prog - nos 
I think my-self to be 



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wise. 



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or 
as 



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of our king - dom's 
that most looks 



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My skill goes be-yond the depths of the Pond, or 

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246 



Jacob Leisler 




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well, When the King comes home in Peace a-gain. 

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Jacob Leisler 247 

WHEN THE KING ENJOYS HIS OWN AGAIN 

\}fVords by Martin Packer, i6S2] 

What Booker can prognosticate, or speak of our king- 
dom's present state? 

I think myself to be as wise as he that most looks in 
the skies. 

My skill goes beyond the depths of the Pond, or River 
in the greatest rain; 

By the which I can tell that all things will be well 
when the King comes home in peace again. 

There is no Astrologer, then say I, can search mor£ 

deep in this than I 
To give you a reason from the stars, what causeth 

peace or civill wars. 
The man in the Moon may wear out his shoone in 

running after Charles his Wain ; 
But all to no end, for the times they will mend, when 

the King comes home in. peace again. 

Though for a time you may see Whitehall, with cob- 
webs hanging over the wal. 

Instead of silk and silver brave as formerly it used 
to have; 



248 Jacob Leisler 

(And) in every Roome the sweet perfume, delightful 

for that Princely Traine; 
The which you shall see, when the time it shall be, 

that the King comes home in peace again. 

Till then upon Ararat's hill, my hope shall cast her 

Anchor still ; 
Until I see some peaceful Dove bring home the branch 

which I do love. 
Still will I wait till the waters abate, which most 

disturb my troubled brain; 
For rie never rejoyes till I hear that voice, that the 

King comes home in peace again. 



JUL 2 1913 



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